Final answer:
James Hutton proposed that geologic change occurs gradually through continuous processes, contrary to the prevailing belief of catastrophic events. His ideas were popularized by Charles Lyell and supported Darwin's theory of evolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
James Hutton, a Scottish geologist, introduced the idea of geologic change in 1785. He proposed that Earth's geologic features were the result of gradual and continuous processes that were still occurring. This was in contrast to the prevailing belief at the time that geologic features were the result of catastrophic events.
Hutton's proposal was later popularized by Charles Lyell, a geologist working in Darwin's time. Lyell advocated for the principle of uniformitarianism, which stated that the same geologic processes operating in the present had also operated in the past at the same rate. This idea of gradual change over long periods of time supported Darwin's theory of evolution.