Actualization is the concept of making something existent in reality.
An actualist is a person who believes in actualism, the belief that only actual things exist.
Actualism
Geologic actualism, also known as uniformitarianism, is the principle that the processes shaping the Earth today are similar to those that occurred in the past. It suggests that by studying current geological processes, scientists can infer the history of the Earth's development. This concept underpins much of modern geology, emphasizing that slow, gradual changes, alongside occasional catastrophic events, have shaped the planet over geological time. Overall, it asserts that "the present is the key to the past."
Another term often used as a synonym for uniformitarianism is actualism. Both concepts suggest that geological processes have operated in the same way over time and can be used to interpret past events.
The Theory of Actualism, which was put forward by Hutton, helped Charles Darwin in his research as he studied evolution of fossils. Darwin's work was also influenced by many other geologists apart from Hutton.