In the opening volumes of the Histoire naturelle Buffon questioned the usefulness of mathematics , criticized Carl Linnaeus 's taxonomical approach to natural history , outlined a history of the Earth with little relation to the Biblical account , and proposed a theory of reproduction which ran counter to existing ideas . In the opening volumes of the Histoire naturelle Buffon questioned the usefulness of mathematics , criticized Carl Linnaeus 's taxonomical approach to natural history , outlined a history of the earth with little relation to the Biblical account , and proposed a theory of reproduction that ran counter to the prevailing theory of pre-existence .