SECTION B GEOLOGY 



(Hall 14, September 21, 3 p. m.) 



CHAIRMAN: PROFESSOR T. C. CHAMBERLIN, University of Chicago. 



SPEAKER: PRESIDENT CHARLES R. VAN HISE, University of Wisconsin. 

 SECRETARY: PROFESSOR R. D. SALISBURY, University of Chicago. 



THE PROBLEMS OF GEOLOGY 



BY CHARLES RICHARD VAN HISE 



[Charles Richard Van Hise, President of the University of Wisconsin, b. May 29 

 1857, Fulton, Wisconsin. B.M.E. Wisconsin, 1879; B.S. 1880; M.S. 1882; 

 Ph.D. 1892; LL.D. Chicago, 1903; LL.D. Yale, 1904. Professor of Metallurgy, 

 University of Wisconsin, 1886-88; Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology, ibid. 

 1889-90; Professor of Geology, ibid. 1892-1903. Geologist in charge, Lake 

 Superior Division, U. S. Geological Survey, 1888-1900, Division of pre-Cam- 

 brian and Metamorphic Geology since 1900; President of Commissioners, 

 Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, since 1903; President of 

 Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters, 1893-;96. Member of Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences; Washington Academy of Sciences; Scientific So- 

 ciety, Christiania; Royal Society of Sweden; Boston Society of Natural History ; 

 Geological Society of America. Author of many papers and books on geolog- 

 ical subjects.] 



THE subject "The Problems of Geology" was assigned to me. I 

 should not have ventured to select so formidable a topic for a brief 

 address. 



Relations of the Sciences 



We are all aware that geology is a many-sided subject. While at the 

 outset it was a simple observational study, it soon developed physical, 

 chemical, astronomical, and biological sides. The importance of these 

 different sides has continuously increased, so that we now often speak 

 of physical geology, chemical geology, astronomical geology, and bio- 

 logical geology. 



To appreciate the position of geology among the sciences it is neces- 

 sary to go back to fundamental definitions. Natural philosophy in the 

 old and broad sense may be defined as the science which treats of 

 energy and matter. But investigations have shown that the ether also 

 must be considered, and hence this definition needs modification. 

 Some physicists have been inclined to extend the scope of the term 

 "matter" to include matter in the old sense, and also ether. But it 

 seems to me that until the two, which appear to be so different, are 

 shown to be essentially one, it is better to use the term "matter" 

 strictly in its old sense. But it is advisable to have a term which 



