Editing Uniformitarianism (section)

====Systems of inorganic earth history====

Geoscientists support diverse systems of Earth history, the nature of which rests on a certain mixture of views about the process, control, rate, and state which are preferred. Because geologists and [[Geomorphology |geomorphologists]] tend to adopt opposite views over process, rate, and state in the inorganic world, there are eight different systems of beliefs in the development of the terrestrial sphere.{{sfn|Huggett|1990|p=34}} All geoscientists stand by the principle of uniformity of law. Most, but not all, are directed by the principle of simplicity. All make definite assertions about the quality of rate and state in the inorganic realm.{{sfn|Huggett|1990|p=33}}

{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! Methodological<br>assumption concerning<br>kind of process!!Substantive claim<br>concerning state!! Substantive claim<br>Concerning rate!! System of Inorganic<br>Earth history !! Promoters{{sfn|Huggett|1990|p=35}}
|-
| rowspan="4" | Same Kind of processes<br>that exist today<br>''Actualism'' 
| rowspan="2" | Steady State<br>''Non-directionalism''
| Constant Rate<br>''Gradualism''
| Actualistic<br>Non-directional<br>Gradualism
| Most of Hutton, Playfair, Lyell
|-
| Changing Rate<br>''Catastrophism''
| Actualistic<br>Non-directional<br>Catastrophism
| Hall
|-
| rowspan="2"| Changing State<br>''Directionalism''
| Constant Rate<br>''Gradualism''
| Actualistic<br>Directional<br>Gradualism
| Small part of Hutton, Cotta, Darwin
|-
| Changing Rate<br>''Catastrophism''
| Actualistic<br>Directional<br>Catastrophism
| Hooke, Steno, Lehmann, Pallas,<br>de Saussure, Werner, and geognosists,<br>Elis de Beaumont and followers
|-
| rowspan="4" | Different Kind of processes<br>than exist today<br>''Non-Actualism''
| rowspan="2" | Steady State<br>''Non-directionalism''
| Constant Rate<br>''Gradualism''
| Non-Actualistic<br>Non-directional<br>Gradualism
| Carpenter
|-
| Changing Rate<br>''Catastrophism''
| Non-Actualistic<br>Non-directional<br>Catastrophism
| Bonnet, Cuvier
|-
| rowspan="2" | Changing State<br>''Directionalism''
| Constant Rate<br>''Gradualism''
| Non-Actualistic<br>directional<br>Gradualism
| De Mallet, Buffon
|-
| Changing Rate<br>''Catastrophism''
| Non-Actualistic<br>Directional<br>Catastrophism
| Restoration cosmogonists,<br>English diluvialists,<br>Scriptural geologists
|}