Search results for "Uniformitarianism"
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Has palaeontology answers for some current environmental problems?
2021
History as an irreversible process has no role from a uniformitarian point of view in geology and palaeobiology. Contingency is another trait of history and particle palaeontology has its foundation on such principles. However, new approaches in physics and the theory of systems point out the need to consider a time arrow. Moreover, chance and necessity are interwoven in synergetics and self-organization theory and there may be some possibility of prediction. The global biota has a history resulting from a process of self-organization. A rich fossil record was produced during the Phanerozoic times and this fossil record shows us how life overcame several important crisis. A clear understand…
Paleoecology: An Adequate Window on the Past?
2014
Starting from Ernst Haeckel’s famous definition of ecology, our review considers the premises and the meaning of paleoecological research. Unlike current ecology, paleoecology has to pay more attention when dealing with ‘‘facts’’: the concept of uniformitarianism is presented and demonstrates the importance of philosophical constructs for scientific work. The middle‐range theory attempts to filter out false conclusions. Abiotic factors have had a strong influence on adaptive evolution; volcanism, tectonism, and climate are exemplified. Subsequently we discuss the biotic viewpoint with regard to aspects of fossil findings and in this context taphonomy, stratigraphic research, and interaction…