[blam]

"Both of these observations are consistent with a lowering of sea level during a warmer than Present segment of time."

How did the ocean water levels get to be lower during warmer times?

[Graewoulf]

It is common for much of our scientific thinking to be contrained by our fear of the unknown, or in other words, our opinions are more important than the facts of observation. It is a rare scientist who admits that the cause is unknown of an observed effect.

Consequently, we rarely empirically test our opinions, assumptions, hypotheses or models. We rely on inference, usually statistical inference.

If sea level was low at the same time that the oceans were warm, then that was an observed effect of an unknown cause.