<P> In geology , uniformitarianism has included the gradualistic concept that `` the present is the key to the past '' ( that events occur at the same rate now as they have always done ) ; many geologists now , however , no longer hold to a strict theory of gradualism . Coined by William Whewell , the word was proposed in contrast to catastrophism by British naturalists in the late 18th century , starting with the work of the geologist James Hutton in his many books including Theory of the Earth . Hutton 's work was later refined by scientist John Playfair and popularised by geologist Charles Lyell 's Principles of Geology in 1830 . Today , Earth 's history is considered to have been a slow , gradual process , punctuated by occasional natural catastrophic events . </P>
<P> In geology , uniformitarianism has included the gradualistic concept that `` the present is the key to the past '' ( that events occur at the same rate now as they have always done ) ; many geologists now , however , no longer hold to a strict theory of gradualism . Coined by William Whewell , the word was proposed in contrast to catastrophism by British naturalists in the late 18th century , starting with the work of the geologist James Hutton in his many books including Theory of the Earth . Hutton 's work was later refined by scientist John Playfair and popularised by geologist Charles Lyell 's Principles of Geology in 1830 . Today , Earth 's history is considered to have been a slow , gradual process , punctuated by occasional natural catastrophic events . </P>
what scientists is credited with proposing the principle of uniformitarianism
what scientists is credited with proposing the principle of uniformitarianism
James Hutton
James Hutton