Uniformitarianism

Process
Uniformitarian View
Castrophist View
 
Theological Causes
Naturalistic
Direct divine intervention
Causes of change through geological time
Same physical causes always in operation
Different causes early in earth's history
Mechanisms of change
Always the same as present
Irregular, highly variable; steadily decreasing w/ time
Rate of change
Generally gradual, but some rather drastic
Many truly cataclysmic changes; often on global scale

Modified from: Mayr, E. 1982. The Growth of Biological Thought. Belknap Press.