Catastrophism is the geological doctrine that Earth’s history has been shaped primarily by sudden, short-lived, and violent events, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and floods. This contrasts with the principle of uniformitarianism, which emphasizes gradual processes. While modern geology recognizes the importance of both catastrophic events and gradual processes, catastrophism was historically significant in debates about Earth’s history and the development of geological theories.
Reference: Oreskes, N. (1999). The Rejection of Continental Drift: Theory and Method in American Earth Science. Oxford University Press.