The Doctrine of Uniformity: An inherent Contradiction?

Note: I am going to copy / paste this from a philosophy of science forum I posted it on.

 

Normal Science does not ‘call forth’ new phenomenon ‘ but explains phenomenon that are already recognized within the paradigm. Anything outside is not seen” – Thomas Kuhn

Greetings all, I am new to this forum but I thought I would start with a subject I so dearly enjoy – the philosophical underpinnings of uniformity and what I believe to be some very basic contradictions within this belief system.

Now, seeing as this is a Philosophy of Science forum, I am assuming many of you are interested in the history of science, knowing full well that context is incredibly important for understanding how paradigms not only come about, but become unconsciously ingrained into the minds of generational social agents; a habitually installed axiom to which future students practice on a level of faith akin to the religiously motivated.

First, I find it is important for people to understand that a lot of disciplines taught with absolutism are in fact, very young branches of thought. Two Hundred to Three Hundred years is not a long time for a branch to maturate – Geology, Anthropology specifically. If the average generation is broken down to roughly 33.3 years, then that’s only around eight generational students from the teacher. I believe we take much of the underlying world-view of uniformity for granted, especially when charged with evidence for Earth Crust Displacement.

Uniformity was born from chaos. The French Revolution brought social strife to much of Europe, and in a time when the Church held its mighty grasp over free thought, radicals such as Lyell, Lamarck and the like came along. What happens in times when free inquiry is frowned upon? Revolutionary thinkers emerge!

The mechanistic nature of the universe paved the way for Lyell to popularize his doctrine of uniformity, which was a reaction against the Church and its notion of Catastrophism. The wealthy and educated elite of Europe banded together, and eventually Uniformity won over as the new Truth in both Geological and Human history. This underlying paradigm became the mover and shaker of intellectual thought – what was previously seen as a product of Catastrophism was now seen as a slow ebb and flow. Erratic boulders, mountains, fossilized remains of land and marine animals, and the like were no longer attributed to a biblical tale of water but rather the antithesis of a supernatural involvement – everything naturally existed as such due to long processes stretching over eons….

REST HERE