Chapter 1 - Major Stages and Methodology in the Evolution of Geological Concepts

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the scientific hypotheses of Earth's evolution, the development of the modern theory of Earth's lithospheric shell formation, and the methodology of constructing a general theory of Earth's global evolution. Most general geological hypotheses of Earth's evolution played a very important role in forming the natural-scientific weltanschauung of the geologists. The chapter highlights the physical theory of the formation of the Solar System published by P. S. Laplace in early nineteenth century. He suggested that the stars, including Sun, formed as a result of gravity concentration and compression of the cosmic gas whose existence was already known to astronomers. Gas compression is accompanied by its heating. That is why, Laplace believed that all stars are hot and are radiating heat and light (at those times, the existence of radioactive processes was not even suspected). As the cosmic gas is in permanent motion, it not only heats up when compressed but also spins up. As a result, in addition to the central star, a gas disk occurs around it, which concentrates into hot planets. Paleomagnetic studies on continents have also played a large role in the rebirth of the mobilist ideas and in the creation on that basis of the modern geological theory. Studies of rocks' magnetic properties showed that the rocks containing magnetic minerals are capable of “remembering” the ancient magnetic field of Earth.