THE TROUBLE WITH ANTITHESES: THE CASE OF G. K. GILBERT,GEOGRAPHER AND EDUCATOR

Accounts of the paradigmatic history of twentieth century American geomorphology traditionally describe Gilbert and Davis in anthithetical terms. That characterization partially misrepresents Gilbert, who was a geographer and an educator as well as a geologist and an investigator. Viewing the Gilbertian paradigm as the antithesis of the outmoded Davisian paradigm may have facilitated the acceptance of Gilbert's approach, but extending the dichotomous generalization to other aspects of Gilbert and Davis impedes full appreciation of Gilbert's contributions.