HISTORICAL IMPACT AND PHILOSOPHICAL PROJECTIONS FOR WILLIAM SMITH'S 1815 MAP

Undoubtedly, the 1815 William Smith map we celebrate has had far-reaching influences within the past 200 years. Smith’s techniques continued to be utilized for their original economic purposes, and inform mineral location and retrieval—including modern fossil fuel development, and the identification of subsurface aquifers (Mather 2015). Knell (2015) proposed that it was the tripartite system of Smith’s technique—geological position, mineralogical character, and accompanying fossils—that had long-reaching impact as “English Geology.” These techniques were disseminated around the globe, and subsequently applied to seafloor, subsurface, and extraterrestrial research. Smith’s principle of fossil succession elevated paleontology’s importance, and influenced the display of specimens within museums and other informal learning environments. His techniques are used to probe paleoenvironments and geological climate fluctuations. Although Smith’s mapping techniques may not represent an authentic Kuhnian paradigm shift, Smith’s methodology and subsurface visualization revolutionized the manner in which geoscientists investigate the Earth. These methods have be appropriated for specialized functions, and further developed within 3D and 4D visualization tools.

It is difficult to predict the future implications of Smith’s 1815 map, but we can project that its influences continue. Multiple topical sessions at GSA Baltimore 2015 connect Smith’s methods with modern applications. In all likelihood, geoscientists will be revisiting the importance of Smith’s techniques in another 100 years, showcased within their not-so-humble origins in the 1815 map.