The problem detected in geomorphology would be indicative of the one that marks geography as a whole. Thus, dealing with the object is abandoned for the sake of intervention from « related » disciplines. Consequently, geography is limited to a cyclical evolution (Vidal de La Blache). The qualitative leap that breaks away from this scenario, with no possible outlet, would proceed from a change of paradigm entailing the transition from prescience to science. Therefore, the epistemological gap entailed in Mendeleyev's intervention is to chemistry what the change in paradigm proposed by G. Ritchot may be to geography.