Geomorphology

• global shapes are the domain of astronomy, geodesy and geophysics, so geomorphology is usually focused on local earth shapes (geomorphs or landforms) that can be seen in their entirety, although with remote sensing global geomorphology overlaps with geophysics

theory

the systematic statement of principles, formulation of underlying principles of certain observed phenomena, which have been verified to some degree

• Lack of theory foundations is a weakness in the education of English speaking geomorphologists: especially given the status of field work ("when you mention theory to a geomorphologist, he instinctively reaches for his shovel" Chorley, 1978)
• however a discipline exists by virtue of a distinct body of theory (philosophy) and substantive research must result in advancement of theory; otherwise natural science is just natural history
• students focus on methods and tools rather than asking questions; successful research is guided by the right questions and collecting data which test hypothesis and thus contributes to theory

Historical Benchmarks in Geomorphology

• The Ancient World: 1st millennium B.C. - 100 A.D.
  
  
  • The Greeks: e.g. Homer (9th century BC), Pythagorus (590-510 BC), Aristotle (384-322 BC), Herodotus (484-426 B.C.); descriptions of erosion and flooding that are apparent in the stratigraphic record; references to cyclicity of nature, denudation of landscapes and an 'everlasting universe'
  
  
• Christianity: catastrophism (great flood), a young earth
• Steno's Prodomus (1669): evidence of a long earth history found in rocks, sediments and landforms
• A revolution in the natural sciences: 1790-1830
  
  
  • James Hutton (1726-97) and John Playfair (1748-1819): uniformitarianism
  • Lyell's Principles of Geology (1830-33)
  
  
• Louis Agassiz (1807-73): advocate of the ice age
• First English use of the word geomorphology: McGee (1888)
• Beginning of the modern era in geomorphology; first comprehensive theories of landscape evolution:
  
  
  • G.K. Gilbert (1834-1918), "Land Sculpture" chapter in "Geology of the Henry Mountains (Utah)"
  • W.M. Davis (1850-1934), the geographical cycle - youth, maturity and old age