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Senior University, Winter 2008
Session 6
Scientific Explanations should be as
simple as possible, but not too simple
Albert Einstein
“History is so indifferently rich that a case
for almost an conclusion from it can be
made by a selection of instances”
Will and Ariel Durant, “The Lessons of History”
Where We’ve Been Heading:
The
last
3000
years
Geology
Mining
Natural Philosophy
Geology
History
World
1000
Eurasia
0
500
Egypt et al
Hinduism
Confucianism
Judaism
Greece
Europe/Asia
500
1000
UK USA
1500
2000
Rome
Religion
Christianity
Islam
Buddhism
Bible
Geology through Human History
Review from Session 5
1775 to 1875
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1800
1900
1882 Charles Blanchard
President of College
2000
Geology: 1774 to 1875
New Geological Knowledge that challenged
historical interpretations of the Bible
Darwin: Humans=high animals, great age
Lyell: predictable rates of change
Hutton:
Smith:
Many
fossils,
floods
great ages
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology Uniformitarianism
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1800
1900
1882 Charles Blanchard
President of College
2000
Plate Tectonics
Geophysics: Subsurface imaging
Geochemistry : Radio age dating
Continental Drift
Geology
in the
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Last
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
150 Years
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
2000
Plate Tectonics
Geophysics: Subsurface imaging
Geochemistry : Radio age dating
Continental Drift
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology Paleontology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
2000
More Geology Conflicting with Historical
Biblical Interpretations
Continental Drift: Alfred Wegener
Continental Drift
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
2000
Alfred Wegener, 1880 to 1930
German Meteorologist
Continental Drift Proposal
290 Million Years Ago
37 Million Years Ago
Continental Drift
North America through the Ages
Map Reconstruction of Geologic History
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
2000
The Stratigraphic Column
Stratigraphy
Correlating by age and Environment
Paleo-Geographic Maps
Stratigraphy
Correlating by age and Environment
The Stratigraphic Column
Isopach Maps
Stratigraphy
Correlating by age and Environment
The Stratigraphic Column
Paleo-Geographic Maps
Geologic Maps
Stratigraphy
Subsurface
Maps
CorrelatingGeosynclines
by age and Environment
Gulf of Mexico
Geosyncline
Subsurface Cross Sections
Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline
Gulf of Mexico
Geosyncline
“Absolute” Age Dating of Rocks
Geochemistry : Radio age dating
Continental Drift
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
2000
J. Laurence Kulp
research in radiometric dating
included :- Potassium-argon dating[6] [7]
- Rubidium-strontium dating [8]
- Uranium-lead dating [9]
- Carbon-14 [10]
Geochemistry: Absolute Age Dating
Geochemistry: Absolute Age Dating
Radio Active Age Dating
Radioactive Decay of Uranium 238
Geologic Time: “How old is our earth?”
1658 Bishop Ussher: 6000 years
1785 James Hutton: 30 to 50 million years
1830 Sir Charles Lyell: 80 million years
Lord Kelvin, 24 to 40 million years (heat flow)
1899 John Joly, 90 million years (sea salts)
1947 to 1960 Radioactivity,
4.8 BILLION YEARS OLD!!
Future ??????
Geophysics: Subsurface imaging
Geochemistry : Radio age dating
Continental Drift
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
Geophysical Subsurface Imaging
2000
Geophysics: Subsurface Imaging
Sea Level
20,000 feet
Plate Tectonics
Geophysics: Subsurface imaging
Geochemistry : Radio age dating
Continental Drift
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
2000
Plate Tectonics: Ultimate Historical Geology
Maurice Ewing, 1906 to 1974, Geophysicist,
Lamont Geological Observatory
Columbia University, New York
Lamont, NY
Woods Hole, Mass
Scripps , CA
Geologic Time Diagram
Mississippian time
Mississippian Time
340 million years ago
Mountain Range
due to Plate
Collisions
Scandinavia
Mountain Range
due to Loading
Crushed & Melted
into mountain range
England
France
Spain
200 Million Years of Continental
Destruction & Renewal
300 million years ago
Pennsylvanian time
North America:
Northward Drift during Pennsylvanian Time
Mississippian Time 340 million years ago
Pennsylvanian Time 300 million years ago
Texas at equator
Greenland rotating counter clockwise
West Texas
Permian
Basin
Pennsylvanian
Geosyncline in
front of growing
mountains
Plate Tectonics
Geophysics: Subsurface imaging
Geochemistry : Radio age dating
Continental Drift
Stratigraphy : Stratigraphic Column, paleo-geol ogic Maps
Mineralogy: Components of rocks: Microscopes, X-ray diffraction
Petrology: Origin of Rocks
Petrography (classification of rocks): from early times
Crystallography: gem stones: from the beginning of human history to the present
Mining geology: from the beginning of time to the present
1859 Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
1830 Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology Paleontology
1815 William Smith, Fossil correlation maps
1788 Hutton, Theory of the Earth
1800
1900
2000
Geology Conflicting with Literal Readings of
Biblical account of Creation & Noah’s Flood
Four Views on Religious “Stories”
e.g. The Bible
View One: The Bible is the Literal WORD of GOD
Geological Conclusions:
The Young Earth: Created by God in 4004 BC
Worldwide Flood: 2348 BC
Humans: Finale of God’s living Creation
Four Views on Religious “Stories”
e.g. The Bible
View One: The Bible is the Literal WORD of GOD
Geological Conclusions:
The Young Earth: Created by God in 4004 BC
Worldwide Flood: 2348 BC
Humans: Finale of God’s living Creation
Four Views on Religious “Stories”
e.g. The Bible
View One: The Bible is the Literal WORD of GOD
Geological Interpretations
The Young Earth: Created by God in 4004 BC
The Old Earth: 4.5 billion years old
Worldwide Flood: 2348 BC
Many “worldwide floods
Humans: Finale of God’s living Creation
Humans current top of Homo sapiens tree
View One: The Bible is the Literal WORD of GOD
“Young Earth” Response
1. Majority: Ignore Science
2. Vocal Few: Uniformitarianism is invalid!
God set aside natural laws to accomplish
His Purpose
3. Noah’s Flood produced all geology
George McCready Price (1870–1963)
Young Earth Advocate
Early 20th Century
The New Geology (1923), a
726 page college textbook
Largely ignored as
Illogical & unscientific
George McCready Price, left
Late 20th Century
Institute for Creation Research
Our Mission
ICR equips believers with evidence
of the Bible's accuracy and authority
through scientific research,
educational programs, and media
presentations, all conducted within
a thoroughly biblical framework
Institute for Creation Research
Vocal Young Earth Advocates since 1970
ICR began as the research
division of Christian Heritage
College, now known as San
Diego Christian College. The
heart of ICR and the vision of
our late founder, Dr. Henry M.
Morris, is to conduct scientific
research and gather evidences
in support of biblical truth,
especially on the issue of
origins.
Four Views on Religious “Stories”
e.g. The Bible
View One: The Bible is the Literal WORD of GOD
View Two: The Bible is the Inerrant WORD of GOD
Stories of Old Testament may be myths, Legends, etc
Geological Conclusions:
Creation 4.5 billion years ago acceptable to many
Noah’s Flood one of many through time
Humans: Finale of God’s “evolutionary” Creation
Four Views on Religious “Stories”
e.g. The Bible
View One: The Bible is the Literal WORD of GOD
View Two: The Bible is the Inerrant WORD of GOD
Stories of Old Testament may be myths, Legends, etc
View Three: The Bible contains the WORD of GOD
Varying amounts of Bible are words of Man
Geology embraced
Many holding views One and Two appalled at
possible dilution of the Biblical Message
Four Views on Religious “Stories”
e.g. The Bible
View One: The Bible is the Literal WORD of GOD
View Two: The Bible is the Inerrant WORD of GOD
Stories of Old Testament may be myths, Legends, etc
View Three: The Bible contains the WORD of GOD
Varying amounts of Bible are words of Man
View Four: Bible Impressive Ancient Literature
Not relevant to physical sciences
The Unfortunate current use of
Intelligent Design
Intelligent Design used by both the
Media &
Young Earth Advocates
Since a “Young” Earth required discarding all
Scientific evidence, it cannot be either
intelligent or by Design. Dbeau 2008
“If young earth is true, it is the most cruel joke
that a so-called benevolent Creator could make
On Humans”
Dr. J. Laurence Kulp
The Unfortunate current use of
Intelligent Design
Intelligent Design used by both the
Media &
Young Earth Advocates
Intelligent Design is said to imply great complexity.
In Reality natural design, though complex, is
extremely simple in function.
Dbeau, 2008
Scientific Explanations should be as
simple as possible, but not too simple
Albert Einstein
In Reality natural design, though complex, is
extremely simple in function.
Dbeau, 2008
For Example: The Earth’s Living Crust
Earth’s Living Crust
Continental Drift & Plate Tectonics
defined from 1950 to 1970
Unifying Theory in Geology
The Earth’s Two Crustal Types
Oceanic Crust
Continental
Crust
Oceanic Crust
Continental
Crust
Oceanic Crust:
dark colored
dense
rocky top of the mantle
about 5 miles thick
Continental Crust:
light colored
less dense than oceanic
“floats” on the mantle
from 25 to 50 miles thick
Continental Crust must be
renewed periodically because:
Why?
To maintain land above sea level!
Erosion over time will sweep all the
continents into the sea.
Continental Crust must be
renewed periodically because
Continents could be “leveled” by erosion because:
3/5th of earth is oceans, 3 miles deep
while only 2/5th of earth is continents, ½ mile high
Our Living Earth
Renewing the Continents
Continental
Debris being
Crushed, melted &
welded back into
the Continent
Continent being
Destroyed by
Weathering &
Erosion
Continental Debris
Trapped along the
Continental Margins
Our Earth’s Living Crust
Oceanic Crust is Recycled Continuously
Oceanic crust:
old crust is melted below active continental margins
new oceanic crust is formed in ocean ridges
Our Living Earth
Recycling the Ocean Crust
Oceanic Crust
Continental Crust
Mid Ocean Ridge
New Ocean Crust
being formed
Oceanic Crust
Being melted
Pacific
Subduction
Trench
Our Living Earth
Recycling the Ocean Crust
Mid Atlantic
Ridge
South Pacific
Ridge
Old
NewOceanic
OceanicCrust
Crustbeing
beingmelted
formed
continuously in
Subduction
Trenches
along
mid-ocean
ridges
Earth’s Living Crust
Living: It Reproduces Itself
Amazing Natural Design
Some Amazing Designs in Nature:
Biological DNA!
Astronomical Universe!!!
Geological Living Crust!!
Amazing Natural Design
How do we explain it??
Take the Earth’s Living Crust
Just Natural Chance? or
Intelligent Design?
Intelligent or Natural Design
It’s your choice!
Intelligent Design
Nature created by an Intelligence
The Earth’s Living Crust
More than Intelligent Design?
Could Science be defining
a Benevolent Design?
Science: Discovering
God’s Benevolent Design