tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612844.post112376614561288125..comments2023-10-02T04:25:26.717-04:00Comments on Prophet or Madman: QuotableBrainwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05365589218358614091noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612844.post-1123855824545672412005-08-12T10:10:00.000-04:002005-08-12T10:10:00.000-04:00Josh, that's one of the example I was trying to re...Josh, that's one of the example I was trying to remember. And it is covered in Bill Bryon's book. The geo-sciences seem to be littered with interesting people whose ideas were quite literally ahead of their times ... and several of them did not live to see their ideas vindicated.Brainwisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05365589218358614091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8612844.post-1123781681021570092005-08-11T13:34:00.000-04:002005-08-11T13:34:00.000-04:00The best example from geology that I can think of ...The best example from geology that I can think of is Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory, which he first proposed in the 1920's, I believe (maybe the 1930's?). He was mocked and practically driven out of the profession. Many, many years after he died, his theory took hold and developed into the theory of plate tectonics, which is now considered the 'unified theory' of geology and the driving force of most geological processes. There are still skeptics - in particular, check the writings of Donald Barr. Unfortunately, I don't remember any titles right now - and I have some of his books. Also, there's John McPhee's "In Suspect Terrane", about another geologist who has doubts about plate tectonics. (The word "terrane" is spelled correctly - it is a geological term.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com