Questions: Which scientist presented arguments to support a theory of geological change, proposing that the earth was subject to slow but continuous erosion and uplift?
Transcript text: Which scientist presented arguments to support a theory of geological change, proposing that the earth was subject to slow but continuous erosion and uplift?
Solution
The answer is the fourth one (Lyell): Charles Lyell.
Explanation for each option:
Leclerc: Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, was a French naturalist who contributed to the understanding of natural history, but he did not specifically propose a theory of geological change involving slow erosion and uplift.
Lamarck: Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is best known for his theory of evolution through the inheritance of acquired characteristics, not for geological theories.
Cuvier: Georges Cuvier was a French naturalist and paleontologist who is known for his theory of catastrophism, which suggested that the earth's geological features were shaped by sudden, short-lived, violent events, rather than slow, continuous processes.
Lyell: Charles Lyell was a Scottish geologist who is best known for his work "Principles of Geology," in which he argued for uniformitarianism. This theory proposed that the earth was shaped by slow, continuous processes such as erosion and uplift, occurring over long periods of time. This is the correct answer to the question.
In summary, Charles Lyell is the scientist who presented arguments supporting a theory of geological change through slow but continuous processes.