Discussions and their role in the development of geological sciences

One of the laws of development of scientific knowledge and, therefore, a necessary form of its existence is a conflict of opinions in the form of discussions. History of geology, like history of any other science, is full of a variety of discussions. At the same time, the works devoted to a special study of the role of discussion are very small in number. The article provides a gnoseological analysis of discussions, reveals their objective reasons (ontological bases), such as the complexity and enormous size of geological objects, multiple-factor geological phenomena, contradictions of the process of cognition, the presence of elements of subjectivity in knowledge. It is shown how the discussions facilitate the transition from one set of theories (gnoseological stops) to the other. It is proved that in the course of resolving the contradictions, that generate discussions, rise new contradictions, new areas of research and new complex problems that stimulate scientific progress. But the resolving the contradictions is a very long process, as a confirmation of a well-known statement: "truth is a process". Therefore, the discussion about any problems have a long history, and some of them run through the whole history of geology, being, so to say, "cross-cutting". Among these perpetual problems are, for example, ideas of spasmodic tectonic processes, numerous discussions about the method and the principle of actualism, the problem of reality of stratigraphic boundaries. As it is proved in the article, every stage of development of geology has its own peculiar discussions on certain problems. This allows us to consider the discussions as a kind of "benchmarks" to help the periodization of history of geology.