STEPHEN JAY GOULD: REMEMBERING A GEOLOGIST

Stephen Jay Gould's obituary in the New York Times (May 21, 2002) referred to him as "one of the most influential evolutionary biologists of the 20th century." Other obituaries and tributes that followed his death similarly focussed on Steve's work on the history of life and evolution as a process. Though some writers referred to him as a paleontologist, none called him a geologist. His professorships in zoology and biology at Harvard and New York University notwithstanding, Steve was a geologist--a fact lost in most writings that paid homage to him.

Because his work had critical implications for evolutionary theory, Steve asserted that paleontology was, in his words, at the fulcrum of the geology-biology continuum. But he loved to identify himself with "the dummy science" as he put it, a science that he noted had no association with Advanced Placement exams or Nobel prizes. Steve was a card-carrying member of the Geological Society of America; he adored geologic time and referred to it as one of his discipline's greatest contributions to human thought. And he was always quick to claim Charles Darwin for geology based on Darwin's work on the origin of atolls.

A field geologist of sorts, Steve appreciated the fundamental importance to natural history of geologic maps, minerals and rocks. Consequently, all students in his renowned Harvard course "The Evolution of Earth and its Life" were required to complete lab assignments on each of these topics and to participate in a day-long field trip examining volcanic and sedimentary rocks along the New England coast. Readers of his column in Natural History learned geological lessons as well. His writings on Burnet, Steno, Hutton, Lyell, Kelvin, Agassiz, and Bretz for example illuminated topics such as unconformities, stratigraphic succession, earth's age, and glacial geomorphology. I knew Steve as a dedicated mentor, inspired teacher, and loyal friend. I believe he would want geologists to make sure that he is remembered as one of us.