Final answer:
Georges Cuvier advocated the philosophy of catastrophism, which proposes that floods and other natural disasters caused the extinction of animals in certain areas at certain times. He was attempting to avoid the idea of gradual change over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Georges Cuvier advocated the philosophy of catastrophism, which suggests that floods and other natural disasters caused the extinction of animals in certain areas at certain times. He proposed that new organisms with a more modern appearance were the result of a more recent creation event. The fact he was attempting to avoid was the idea of gradual change over time, as proposed by proponents of gradualism such as James Hutton and Charles Lyell.