Overview
James Hutton was a pioneer in the field of geology. His main contributions included the ideas that the earth was immensely old and that its features were constantly and gradually changing. He argued that many such changes were caused by heat within the earth. In its journal, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Society published James Hutton's theory in 1785. Although the letters presented here are imaginary, they accurately portray the debate sparked by Hutton's astonishing theories.
Despite his careful use of scientific methods, most of the scientific community rejected Hutton's ideas. The most bitter criticism came from the Irish chemist Richard Kirwan, later president of the Royal Irish Academy. Sir James Hall, a Scottish geologist, was a real person, and the fictitious letter from him reflects opinions he actually held. Hutton continued to collect new information to support his ideas, and they were published in 1795 in a two-volume work, Theory of the Earth: With Proofs and Illustrations.
Not until the publication of Principles of Geology (1830-1833) by the British geologist Sir Charles Lyell did Hutton's ideas begin to gain acceptance. By the mid-1800's, most scientists supported his theories. Later scientists have refined Hutton's ideas, and they provide an important foundation for our current understanding of the formation of the earth.