catastrophism
Sudden upheaval doctrine
Catastrophism is the geological theory that Earth's features formed through sudden, violent events rather than gradual processes.
The term emerged in opposition to uniformitarianism, which holds that the same slow forces operating today shaped the past.
More broadly, catastrophism describes any tendency to expect or predict disasters: His catastrophism about the economy proved unfounded.
The word often carries a dismissive edge, suggesting excessive pessimism.
Past mimics present processes
- gradualismPhilosophy of incremental change
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- DarwinBritish naturalist, species theorist
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
stratigraphy · sedimentary · Alvarez · bolide · cataclysm · upheaval · convulsion
Severe misfortune or disaster
- cataclysmViolent, large-scale disaster
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- upheavalViolent disturbance of order
deluge · conflagration · earthquake · tsunami · flood · wildfire · supervolcano · megathrust
Prophesied concluding era
- doomsdayProphesied world's end
- ArmageddonProphesied ultimate conflict
- eschatologyStudy of ultimate destiny
- raptureOverwhelming ecstatic feeling
tribulation · apocalypse · revelation · millenarianism · prophecy · antichrist · beast · apocalypticism
Compulsive consumption of negative news
- worst-caseMost unfavorable outcome imaginable
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- pessimismExpecting unfavorable outcomes
- fatalismDoctrine of inevitable outcomes
alarmism · panic · fear-mongering · hypervigilance · magnification · rumination · dread · foreboding
Needless raising of fears
- sensationalismOverhyped news coverage
- hyperboleRhetorical extreme exaggeration
- exaggerationOverstating beyond reality
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
doom-and-gloom · scaremongering · overreaction · hysteria · panic-inducing · clickbait · melodrama · hand-wringing
uniformitarianism
Past mimics present processes
- gradualismPhilosophy of incremental change
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- DarwinBritish naturalist, species theorist
extinction · stratigraphy · sedimentary · Alvarez · bolide · cataclysm · upheaval · convulsion
calamity
Severe misfortune or disaster
- cataclysmViolent, large-scale disaster
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- destructionAct of completely ruining
upheaval · deluge · conflagration · earthquake · tsunami · flood · wildfire · supervolcano · megathrust
end-times
Prophesied concluding era
- doomsdayProphesied world's end
- ArmageddonProphesied ultimate conflict
- eschatologyStudy of ultimate destiny
rapture · tribulation · apocalypse · revelation · millenarianism · prophecy · antichrist · beast · apocalypticism
doom-scrolling
Compulsive consumption of negative news
- worst-caseMost unfavorable outcome imaginable
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- pessimismExpecting unfavorable outcomes
fatalism · alarmism · panic · fear-mongering · hypervigilance · magnification · rumination · dread · foreboding · paranoia
alarmism
Needless raising of fears
- sensationalismOverhyped news coverage
- hyperboleRhetorical extreme exaggeration
- exaggerationOverstating beyond reality
fearmongering · doom-and-gloom · scaremongering · overreaction · hysteria · panic-inducing · clickbait · melodrama · hand-wringing · overwrought
- Science Historyscientific revolution, natural philosophy, scientific method, scientific journals, Royal Society
- -ismsatomism, postmodernism, feminism, Marxism, Darwinism
- obsolete sciencephlogiston, aether, phlogiston theory, ether, caloric
- Old Sciencephlogiston, aether, ether, caloric, miasma
- scientific theoriesatomic theory, evolution, big bang theory, quantum theory, string theory
- creation geologycreation science, young earth, deluge, antediluvian, Mount Ararat
catastrophismuniformitarianism
Past mimics present processes
gradualism · incrementalism · continuity · evolutionism · stability
- catastrophic floodingSevere water overflow causing destruction
- catastrophic eventsSeverely damaging large-scale occurrences
- catastrophic lossSevere irreversible damage
catastrophic, catastrophically, catastrophist, catastrophizing, catastrophize, catastrophizes, catastrophized, catastrophizer