James Hutton

Author Code: EJHU

Educated at the University of Edinburgh, Hutton initially practiced law, but later studied medicine at Leiden and became an MD in 1749. Unable to land a suitable position, he took up farming at a family estate and during this time, developed an interest in natural science and the earth and environment. Returning to Edinburgh, he presented a paper in 1785 to the newly-formed Royal Society of Edinburgh, entitled Theory of the Earth: or an Investigation of the Laws Observable in the Composition, Dissolution and Restoration of Land Upon the Globe. This paper was instrumental in establishing the science of geology, which heretofore had been primarily concerned with mineralogy. The paper was subsequently published in 1788. Hutton's interests also included other areas of natural science and he also published Dissertations on Different Subjects in Natural Philosophy in 1792. In 1794, he published An Investigation into the Principles of Knowledge, a three-volume work of over 2000 pages, in which Hutton anticipated Darwin's theory of natural selection. In 1795, Hutton published his Theory of the Earth in two volumes which elucidated and expanded upon his theories. A third volume was left in manuscript form at his death and was subsequently published by his friend, the mathematician, John Playfair, in 1802.