gradualism

English

Etymology

gradual +‎ -ism

Noun

gradualism (countable and uncountable, plural gradualisms)

1. (biology) The belief that evolution proceeds at a steady pace, without the sudden development of new species or biological features from one generation to the next.
2. (transferred sense) The belief that some phenomenon occurs gradually over a long period of time.
   • 2013 November 27, John Grotzinger, “The world of Mars [print version: International Herald Tribune Magazine, 2013, p. 37]”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     Given enough time, the logic goes, water can cleave solid rock and mountains can be reduced to plains. This "gradualism" now underpins modern geologic thought. ... Maybe we'll find evidence that the rock layers are exposed on the flanks of Mount Sharp [on Mars] not because a river carved through them over millions of years, but because the wind blew against them for billions of years – the ultimate in gradualism.

3. (politics) The belief that change ought to be brought about in small, discrete increments rather than in abrupt strokes such as revolutions or uprisings.

Derived terms

• phyletic gradualism

See also

• punctuationism
• saltationism