|
Carl Bernhard von Cotta
(24 Oct 1808 - 14 Sep 1879)
German geologist who introduced a genetic system of petrography (1866), the principal groupings of which are still in use. He pioneered in teaching a course on ore deposits. Before Darwin, he expressed a concept of evolution, expressing a basic biogenetic law as early as 1848.
|
Science Quotes by Carl Bernhard von Cotta (1 quote)
In the course of the history of the earth innumerable events have occurred one after another, causing changes of states, all with certain lasting consequences. This is the basis of our developmental law, which, in a nutshell, claims that the diversity of phenomena is a necessary consequence of the accumulation of the results of all individual occurrences happening one after another... The current state of the earth, thus, constitutes the as yet most diverse final result, which of course represents not a real but only a momentary end-point.
— Carl Bernhard von Cotta
Ober das Entwicklung der Erde, (1867), 5-6.
See also:
- 24 Oct - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Cotta's birth.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
