Final answer:
Uniformitarianism is the belief that the same geological processes that occur today also existed in the past. This principle, popularized by Charles Lyell, helped scientists understand the Earth's history and led to the recognition of an older Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The principle of uniformitarianism, expounded in the 1700s and 1800s, states that the same natural processes that currently shape the Earth's surface have also existed in the past. This belief arose as a consequence of the principle of uniformitarianism. For example, Charles Lyell argued in his book 'Principles of Geology' that contemporary geological processes, such as wind and rain, produced the geological landscape we see today, including mountains, lakes, and rivers, through slow-moving processes. By recognizing the consistency of these processes over time, scientists started to view the Earth as much older than previously believed.