Davis, William Morris (1850–1934)

William Morris Davis is the single most influential geomorphologist to have written in the English language, and perhaps in any language. Given the enormous growth and diversity in the discipline, it is unlikely that anyone will ever again dominate it to the degree that he did. The primary component of his reputation is the creation and indefatigable proselytism of the geomorphic cycle, also known as the geographical cycle. The model attempts to provide a comprehensive theoretical explanation of the development of landforms and many of their individual elements during the perceived lengthy periods between regional uplifts. The model gained enormous, but not unchallenged, currency and represented the prevailing orthodoxy in the English world from about 1900 until around World War II. It was challenged in research circles starting just before the war and more vigorously [Page 687]thereafter; in some places it lingered longer, and in the realm of teaching, considerably longer.

The model itself was supported by Davis's prolific publication record and introduction of innumerable technical terms. Many such terms are morphogenetic; that is, they not only describe how something looks but also purport to explain its origins, peneplain being an exemplar.

Davis was reared in an influential East Coast Quaker family, attended Harvard University, and was on the faculty from the late 1870s until 1912. He conducted fieldwork on every continent save Antarctica. His numerous professional honors included being president of both the Association of American Geographers and the Geological Society of America. His role as a bridge builder between the two disciplines is an important part of his personal story.

Davis was a prodigious worker, writing hundreds of articles, introducing well over 100 technical terms, accepting numerous speaking engagements on both the national and international levels, and conducting what today would probably be called outreach (i.e., talking to the nonscientific community). An additional personal attribute was his real flair for sketching. His beautifully conceived and executed diagrams essentially present his geomorphological ideas in a separate language. His influence in retirement was considerable because he moved to the Western United States, where he inspired many students of geology in his post-Harvard years and exhibited much greater intellectual flexibility than is often recognized.

Whatever limitations are now assigned to Davis and his geomorphic cycle, it is appropriate to view the latter as a monumental intellectual achievement: influential when it dominated and also a powerful intellectual challenge to be satisfactorily met for those who followed and sought to modify the framework of geomorphology. Furthermore, Davis provided a powerful personal aura of scientific professionalism in an embryonic discipline.