A Scientific and Educational Dimension of Geology: On the Problem of the Ambiguity of the Term "Geology"

The article discusses the problem of the ambiguity of the term "geology" through a comparison of the understanding of "geology" in education and in the philosophy of science. It is noted that in the framework of the philosophy of science, methodological problems of geology as a profession, i.e., regional geology, working on geological mapping, was not considered. The aim of the study is to actualize the methodological problems of regional geology and determine the place and role of the regional geological work in the system of geological knowledge. The materials this study is based on are the curricula of different years in geology from the Archive of Tomsk State University. Previous works of the author of this article, which take into account a wide range of studies of domestic and foreign authors on methodological problems in geological sciences, are also used. The methods used in the study are historical-philosophical analysis, aimed at the study of works on methodological problems of geology; comparative analysis, aimed at comparing perceptions of geology within the philosophy of science and in the education system. Achievements in the field of nar-ratology, which examines the historical aspect of regional geology, are also used. The article discusses regional geology as a profession, but also raises the question of what a "geologist", dedicated to regional geology, is: an engineer or a scientist? If one relies on the qualification in the diploma, a geologist dealing with regional geology is not an engineer. The assertion that a regional geologist is a scientist also requires clarification and explanation. A geologist is first and foremost a researcher, but of a particularly kind: a geologist does not search for universal laws, but explores a unique object: the Earth and its sites. Regional maps, despite some "historical" aspect, are always maps of the current state of the Earth. That is, regional geology examines the Earth's present, not its history, though with references to the age of certain structures and geological bodies. Therefore, regional geology is neither a history of the Earth, nor a doctrine of minerals. Despite the fact that it is determined in particular as a "history of the geological development of the continents and regions", the regional geological map as the main result of regional geological studies is not a history of the Earth. Thus, it is possible to define regional geology as a type of geological research, based on which various kinds of ideas about the Earth can be built. There is also every reason to believe that regional geology as a specific science operates fairly accurate scientific information about individual geological objects and is the basis for all subsequent studies of the Earth.

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