For other people named James Hutton, see James Hutton (disambiguation).
James Hutton
FRSE
Portrait by Henry Raeburn, 1776
Born
3 June 1726
Edinburgh, Scotland
Died
26 March 1797 (aged 70)
Edinburgh, Scotland
Alma mater
University of Edinburgh
University of Paris
Known for
Plutonic geology Uniformitarianism Unconformity Deep time Gaia Hypothesis
Scientific career
Fields
Geology
Notes
Member of the Royal Society of Agriculture of France
James HuttonFRSE (/ˈhʌtən/; 3 June O.S.[citation needed] 1726 – 26 March 1797) was a Scottish geologist, agriculturalist, chemical manufacturer, naturalist and physician.[1] Often referred to as the "Father of Modern Geology,"[2][3] he played a key role in establishing geology as a modern science.
Hutton advanced the idea that the physical world's remote history can be inferred from evidence in present-day rocks. Through his study of features in the landscape and coastlines of his native Scottish lowlands, such as Salisbury Crags or Siccar Point, he developed the theory that geological features could not be static but underwent continuing transformation over indefinitely long periods of time. From this he argued, in agreement with many other early geologists, that the Earth could not be young. He was one of the earliest proponents of what in the 1830s became known as uniformitarianism, the science which explains features of the Earth's crust as the outcome of continuing natural processes over the long geologic time scale. Hutton also put forward a thesis for a 'system of the habitable Earth' proposed as a deistic mechanism designed to keep the world eternally suitable for humans,[4] an early attempt to formulate what today might be called one kind of anthropic principle.
Some reflections similar to those of Hutton can be found in publications of his contemporaries, such as the French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon,[4] but it is chiefly Hutton's pioneering work that established the field.[5][6]
^Waterston, Charles D; Macmillan Shearer, A (2006). Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002: Biographical Index(PDF). Vol. I. Edinburgh: The Royal Society of Edinburgh. ISBN 978-0-902198-84-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
^University of Edinburgh. "Millennial Plaques: James Hutton". Hutton's Millennial Plaque, which reads, "In honour of James Hutton 1726–1797 Geologist, chemist, naturalist, father of modern geology, alumnus of the University," is located at the main entrance of the Grant Institute. Archived from the original on 1 November 2007.
^David Denby (11 October 2004). "Northern Lights: How modern life emerged from eighteenth-century Edinburgh". The New Yorker. In 1770, James Hutton, an experimental farmer and the owner of a sal ammoniac works, began poking into the peculiar shapes and textures of the Salisbury Crags, the looming, irregular rock formations in Edinburgh. Hutton noticed something astonishing—fossilized fish remains embedded in the rock. The remains suggested that volcanic activity had lifted the mass from some depth in the sea. In 1785, he delivered a lecture to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which included the remarkable statement that "with respect to human observation, this world has neither a beginning nor an end." The book that he eventually published, Theory of the Earth, helped to establish modern geology.
^ abM. J. S. Rudwick (15 October 2014). Earth's Deep History: How It Was Discovered and Why It Matters. University of Chicago Press. pp. 68–70. ISBN 978-0-226-20393-5.
^American Museum of Natural History (2000). "James Hutton: The Founder of Modern Geology". Earth: Inside and Out. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. "The result, therefore, of this physical enquiry", Hutton concluded, "is that we find no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end".
^Kenneth L. Taylor (September 2006). "Ages in Chaos: James Hutton and the Discovery of Deep Time". The Historian (abstract). Book review of Stephen Baxter. ISBN 0-7653-1238-7. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
JamesHutton FRSE ( /ˈhʌtən/; 3 June O.S.[citation needed] 1726 – 26 March 1797) was a Scottish geologist, agriculturalist, chemical manufacturer, naturalist...
Dana JamesHutton (May 31, 1934 – June 2, 1979), known as Jim Hutton, was an American actor in film and television best remembered for his role as Ellery...
Robert JamesHutton (April 21, 1950 – April 6, 1968), also known as "Lil' Bobby", was the treasurer and first recruit to join the Black Panther Party....
The JamesHutton Institute is an interdisciplinary scientific research institute in Scotland established in 2011, through the merger of Scottish Crop Research...
fatally. Running to Cohen's pharmacy, Unruh encountered insurance man JamesHutton and killed him when he didn't move out of his way. Unruh proceeded to...
Scotland. It is famous in the history of geology for Hutton's Unconformity found in 1788, which JamesHutton regarded as conclusive proof of his uniformitarian...
Barbara Woolworth Hutton (November 14, 1912 – May 11, 1979) was an American debutante, socialite, heiress, and philanthropist. She was dubbed the "Poor...
JamesHutton Kidd (12 September 1877–24 October 1945) was a New Zealand horticulturist and community leader. He was born in Hexham, Northumberland, England...
Lauren Hutton (born Mary Laurence Hutton; November 17, 1943) is an American model and actress. Born and raised in the southern United States, Hutton relocated...
JamesHutton Mackenzie (27 September 1849–10 July 1949) was a New Zealand presbyterian minister. He was born in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, Scotland on 27...
geological time was developed in the 18th century by Scottish geologist JamesHutton; his "system of the habitable Earth" was a deistic mechanism keeping...
Geologists are also important contributors to climate change discussions. JamesHutton is often viewed as the first modern geologist. In 1785 he presented a...
starting with the work of the geologist JamesHutton in his many books including Theory of the Earth. Hutton's work was later refined by scientist John...
EF Hutton was an American stock brokerage firm founded in 1904 by Edward Francis Hutton and his brother, Franklyn Laws Hutton. Later, it was led by well...
18th-century Scottish physician and geologist JamesHutton is that "the present is the key to the past." In Hutton's words: "the past history of our globe must...
Theory of the Earth was a publication by JamesHutton which laid the foundations for geology. In it he showed that the Earth is the product of natural...
studied volcanic islands, first proposed the theory before 1750, and JamesHutton subsequently developed it as part of his Theory of the Earth, published...
Unconformity is frequently applied to either the unconformity observed by JamesHutton in 1787 at Siccar Point in Scotland,[failed verification] or that observed...
Timothy Hutton (born August 16, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He is the youngest recipient of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor...
6, 1968: Death of Bobby JamesHutton, killed in a gunfight with Oakland police. April 17, 1968: Funeral for Bobby JamesHutton in Berkeley, followed by...
James Frederick Hutton (1826 – 1 March 1890) was a British businessman, colonialist and Conservative politician. He was the son of W M Hutton and Elizabeth...
modern discussion of the Anthropocene. Building on the innovative work of JamesHutton and his follower John Playfair, Lyell favoured an indefinitely long age...
United States. Hutton was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of James Laws Hutton (1847–1885), who left an Ohio farm to work there. James died on December...
Tropical Medicine Modern geology: JamesHutton ‘The Founder of Modern Geology’ The theory of Uniformitarianism: JamesHutton (1788): a fundamental principle...