    james hutton  (; 3 june 1726 os (14 june 1726 ns) â 26 march 1797) was a scottish geologist, physician, chemical manufacturer, naturalist, and experimental agriculturalist. he originated the theory of uniformitarianismâa fundamental principle of geologyâwhich explains the features of the earth's crust by means of natural processes over geologic time. hutton's work established geology as a proper science, and thus he is often referred to as the "father of modern geology".{{cite web |url=http://www.newyorke
1726_births 1797_deaths 18th-century_Scottish_medical_doctors Alumni_of_the_University_of_Edinburgh Burials_at_Greyfriars_Kirkyard Charles_Darwin Deists Enlightenment_scientists Founder_Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society_of_Edinburgh Leiden_University_alumni Members_of_the_Philosophical_Society_of_Edinburgh People_associated_with_the_Scottish_Borders People_educated_at_the_Royal_High_School,_Edinburgh People_from_Edinburgh Proto-evolutionary_biologists Scottish_Science_Hall_of_Fame Scottish_agronomists Scottish_biologists Scottish_businesspeople Scottish_farmers Scottish_geologists Scottish_meteorologists University_of_Paris_alumni