One of the most dramatic intellectual events of the last decade has been the stunning re-emergence of the catastrophist paradigm in the biological and earth sciences From killer asteroids to emergent viruses, it has become evident that the history of life on earth has been shaped -- far more than previous orthodoxies would allow ...by extreme events and non-linear processes. The old "uniformitarian" dogma of steady-rate evolution has been decisively challenged by the research of contemporary neo-catastrophists like Stephen Jay Gould, David Raup, Stuart Ross Taylor, Ursula Marvin and Kenneth Hsu. Whether debating the origin of the moon or the current human impact on the biosphere, they urge us to recognize the radically event- or chance-driven structure of natural history. Surveying these various theories of uniformitarian and neo-catastrophist thought in a clear and accessible fashion, and seeking a path towards a new and workable synthesis, Richard Hugget provides a superb introduction to the ideas which have defined the way we look at the world.
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Huggett enlarges our intellectual horizon with the first comprehensive account of Catastrophism as a theoretical tradition in natural science. -- Mike Davis, author of Ecology of Fear
About the Author
Rioshard Huggett is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geography at the University of Manchester. His current research interests include topography as an environmental factor, models of environment changes, and the history of ideas in the environmental and physical geographical sciences. His recent publications include Geoecology: An Evolutionary Approach (1995), Environmental Change: The Evolving Ecosphere (1997), and Fundamentals of Biogeography (1998).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Catastrophism Is Not About Catastrophes,
By Robert B Hurlbert (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Catastrophism: Asteroids, Comets, and Other Dynamic Events in Earth History (Paperback)
The book is about the PHILOSOPHY of catastrophism, not about "Asteroids, Comets, and other Dynamic Events in Earth History" as the subtitle implies. It is mostly about the currently outmoded theories of the influence of catastrophies on development of the Earth, and the people who espoused these views. No real data, not much currently constructive synthesis. But lots of good history and references if that is what you want.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good background for the Young Earth Verus Old Earth debate.,
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This review is from: Catastrophism: Asteroids, Comets, and Other Dynamic Events in Earth History (Paperback)
The author Richard Hugget is the Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geography at the University of Manchester and his book is very scholarly and detailed and reads like an advanced college lecture. It is well written and interesting in its own way, but it is definitely a dry subject and it was a bit of push to get myself to finish reading the book, at least I didn't have to worry about falling asleep in class. If you are interested in the history of Catastrophism, how it was replaced by uniformitarianism and how it has come back in the form of New Catastrophism, this is probably the best book on the subject. The level of detail and accuracy was above anything else I have read on the subject. It is also interesting to see how religion effected the debate in geology and how it in turn has been effected by the shifts in the Geological view of Catastrophism. (only the geological side is covered in this book) The history of Catastrophism is a large part of the back drop in front of which the on going drama of the conflict between fundamentalists and scientists is acted out, reading this book gives one the historical background on the debate and make better sense of old arguments and repeating history.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Work On The Subject By An Expert,
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This review is from: Catastrophism: Asteroids, Comets, and Other Dynamic Events in Earth History (Paperback)
If you want to learn about the theories involved in what some term geological catamorphism or catastrophism as it is better known, then you must read this book. Dr. Huggett is a renowned expert who has written the most compelling work of its kind regarding the theory of generalized geological development and the impact of meteors, earthquakes, ice ages, and diluvial events. This is not about creationism nor supporting the notion of an ancient global flood so the biblically induced need not attempt to utilize this work to support their beliefs.
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