The Downfall of Uniformitarianism

Creation-Evolution Headlines ^ | 11/04/2003 | Creation-Evolution Headlines

[dirtboy]

You’ve seen it on TV science programs and in textbooks: plumes of hot magma from deep in the Earth’s mantle rise through the crust and erupt on the surface (the IMAX movie Yellowstone has computer graphics of the whole process). Perhaps you’ve seen animations of the Hawaiian Islands riding over a “hot spot” and building its chain of volcanoes over millions of years on its slow, drifting journey. Textbook diagrams show cross-sections of Earth’s crust, with lava erupting from channels rooted deep in the mantle, while crustal plates float and drift atop deep convection currents.

OK, we'll call that A.

That’s all defunct now, and so is a lot of the uniformitarian dogma associated with it, claims Warren B. Hamilton (Colorado School of Mines), in an extensive article in this month’s GSA Today.1 Uniformitarianism is out, catastrophism is in.

And we'll call this B. I'm really curious how the leap was made that if B is true, A is false. There is a clear line of islands and seamounts leading from the Big Island thousands of miles to the WNW - with a jog to the NW that reflects a change in the direction of the Pacific Plate (a jog reflected in other island/seamount chains in the Pacific).

Just because certain geological features now appear to happen more quickly than previously envisioned, it does not therefore mean that ALL theories about all features are therefore changed - hot spot theory holds up just fine with either the uniformitarian model or the catastrophic model.

And a friendly hint - if you are looking for depositional evidence of the Flood, I'd stay away from the Grand Canyon, unless you are prepared to explain the Great Unconformity.

[bondserv]

The universe was probably imagined into existence...just like everything else.

If so, we get our palette and canvas from someone vastly superior to us. We can't imagine-up all of the things we discover.

[Consort]

If so, we get our palette and canvas from someone vastly superior to us.

Yes, we are creators made in the image and likeness of a greator creator. Creating our universe is childs play for a God.

We can't imagine-up all of the things we discover.

Sure we can.

[Right Wing Professor]

Explain how you make it move to type "Stupid Headline".

The headline said "Everything you know is wrong". We know lightning is an electrical discharge from clousd to cloud or cloud to ground. That is not wrong. Whether or not this physicist from Florida Tech. has some new information on the conditions that initiate lightning (and frankly, if Creation-Evolution Headlines proclaimed the sun rose this morning, I'd glance out the window to check), it doesn't seriously challenge the fundamnetal understanding of lightning.

1/10 of 1%, and half of that will be changed down the road.

Now explain how you came up with that number.

[Right Wing Professor]

9-11 was a non-linearity that upsets scientists, but was expected by those believing in the supernatural.

Particularly by the believers in the supernatural who carried it out.

[MineralMan]

"Whatever happens next, we have just seen that major paradigm shifts are still possible in science. Kuhnians rejoice. Darwinians beware.

I still don't see what this has to do with Genesis."

Nothing whatever. This is one hypothesis, only. Now that it is published, it will undergo serious discussion among global geologists.

One man's writings do not necessarily always pan out. This author sees it one way, which is different from traditional theories, but even if he is correct, it does nothing about Genesis. It's just a different explanation for the 4.? billion year history of the planet.

Paradigm shifts happen in science all the time. There's nothing unusual about them. New ideas are posited. Some succeed in convincing others; some do not.

The secondary author here seems to suggest that because this person has written an article proposing a new theory of the formation and history of the Earth, the next step may be the acceptance of the YEC concept. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, what is proposed by this scientist is that we may have to take another look at the early history of the planet, along with some of our theories about island chain formation. In no way is he suggesting that this all happened not that long ago. He's talking about the same 4.? billion year history, not some instant creation by a supernatural entity.

This is an interesting theory, to be sure, and I am certain it will be much-discussed over the next few years. Perhaps it will become the new theory of the formation of this planet. Perhaps not. It will not, however, get replaced by some YEC fantasy.

[bondserv]

Research is fun. Here is a site that helpfully categorizes 3 years worth of science articles for your perusal. The source documents are extensively linked.

Link

[dirtboy]

Research is fun.

You should try it sometime. The oldest seamount in the Hawaii-Emperor chain is about 70 million years old. Try again.

[bondserv]

There are many questions being considered by the scientific community.

Link

[Doctor Stochastic]

9-11 was a non-linearity that upsets scientists, but was expected by those believing in the supernatural.

Could you document where someone had supernatural knowledge of the 9-11 attacks? Specifics necessary.

[MineralMan]

"There are many questions being considered by the scientific community.

"
Indeed. There always are. Science is always learning new things, which sometimes replace what we thought in the past. That's why science works so well. Scientists, unlike religionists, are always ready to examine a new theory or a new explanation for what remains unknown.

Religionists, particularly fundamentalist Christians, OTOH, rely on a book written a few thousand years ago by itinerant shepherds for their information. That's fine, but you can't call it science. You're welcome to believe whatever you wish.

[js1138]

Florida Tech? I live just a few miles from it and never heard of it.

Yes, I looked it up. They do appear to have a real campus.

operations research, physics, science education and space sciences. In addition to the degree-granting departments listed above, the college also includes the Division of Languages and Linguistics within the humanities department and the military science department (Army ROTC). The university offers twoand four-year Army ROTC programs to interested, qualified students. Students may qualify for a reserve commission in Today, over 4,500 students are enrolled, with more than 3,000 students on the Melbourne campus and about 1,400 at Florida Tech’s off-campus graduate centers. All of the off-campus students and more than 850 on-campus students are enrolled in graduate programs. Florida Tech offers more than 130 degree programs in science and engineering, aviation, management, humanities, psychology and communication. Doctoral degrees are offered in 22 disciplines,

Twenty-two Doctoral programs with 3000 on-campus students. These folks are busy bees.

[bondserv]

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

[bondserv]

Do you get a lot of lightning down there?

[dirtboy]

Link 1 raises the question as to whether the Pacific Plate has moved or the hot spot has moved. Neither is conducive towards your creationist positions, as it still doesn't change the age of the oldest seamounts in the chain.

[bondserv]

Knowingly teach untruths as facts. Brilliant.

Science is fun. My daughter's and I viewed pond water under a microscope the other day. I told them that some people believe, with all their heart's, that we are looking at their ancestors.

Great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great,...

[bondserv]

Link 1 raises the question as to whether the Pacific Plate has moved or the hot spot has moved. Neither is conducive towards your creationist positions, as it still doesn't change the age of the oldest seamounts in the chain.

Fair and Balanced.;)

[MineralMan]

"I told them that some people believe, with all their heart's, that we are looking at their ancestors.
"

Anyone who believes that a contemporary creature living in pond water is an ancestor to humans is a complete idiot, with no understanding of the theory of evolution. I have never met anyone who though that the hydra or paramecium you observe in a drop of pond water is anything but a current creature, the product of its own evolutionary chain.

So, you are teaching your own children an untruth, I am afraid, if you are teaching them that evolutionists believe this.

[js1138]

Somebody had a good premonition. Remember the Coop CD cover that had an exact illustration of the WTC fires? Except the cover was designed months before the event.

I need my tinfoil hat here, but all google results for this image have disappeared.

[Doctor Stochastic]

I told them that some people believe, with all their heart's, that we are looking at their ancestors.

Who do you think believes this?