Re: Need some assistance

"r norman" <r_s_norman@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:lvt7831uoha431hi0a1kjolge8houh2b66@xxxxxxxxxx
On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 10:31:20 -0700, "Feather Forestwalker"
<feather@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I need information from either side of
the ongoing (over 100 year) debate

. . .my pastor has put me on the trail of some articles relating to the
study of Deep Time.

His old school buddy, recently found, is a scientist at an extremely
well-accredited University here in the states. He is a geologic
evolutionist
and is asking my pastor to intelligently debate the topic of Deep Time
(ancient planet theory) vs. Creationism, (younger planet theory).

We are looking for links to articles - I have Googled some. I am not
seeking
debate on the subject; merely information from various locations which
would
support the theory as well as debunk it, without heated debate, anger or
name-calling. Just a good few articles on the subjects from both sides.

Thanks in advance; I will be checking back regularly.

Feather


You indicated you have already googled, but here is just a single
instance of many on the age of the universe:
http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/age.html

One of the most important concepts in this kind of science is that
there are a tremendous number of ways of knowing that the universe,
our solar system, and our planet is billions of years old (the exact
number of billions depending on which system you look at). The age of
material samples on earth is generally now determined by various
techniques of radioactive dating. The age of the universe is based on
various theories of star formation and evolution (yes, I used the word
deliberately; there are kinds of evolution other than biological).
And there are cosmological theories. And there are all sorts of
validation for the theories other than the circular argument based on
age. But most important of all is the extremely important concept
that many very different types of measurement of age, all totally
independent of each other, tend to agree quite accurately on the
result. Yes, there have been arguments about the exact age and the
number has changed over time because of refinements in technique and
theory. But those arguments and adjustments are minor; whether the
earth is 13 billion or 14 billion or 13.7 billion or exactly what is
not the argument. The argument is whether it is over 10 billion or
under 10 thousand and that is a million-fold difference.


ITYM "Universe" here, with an age of 13.7 BY. The solar system is 4.55 BY
old, give or take a small error (c. 0.02 in these units), although the
precise measure comes from the study of meteorites and a coherent model and
theory about why the proto-Earth formed within a few millions of years of
the formation of the solar system debris. The oldest minerals found on
Earth seem to be just over 4.0 BY old, but we don't expect much to have
survived from the first 500 MY or so, too much tectonic activity and heavy
bombardment.

This is indeed a long way from YEC claims of 6,000 years or so.

It really is hard to give you specific details. Any elementary
geology or astronomy or cosmology book will have a lot of details. But
the evidence is so widespread, so consistent, so overwhelming, that
all of modern science simply goes with the multi-billion year fact.
There is nowhere I know where you can find a "discussion" or
"alternatives" because there is nothing to discuss. On one hand, you
accept science, in a form which is also perfectly consistent with a
liberal interpretation of scripture and with the belief of most modern
religions. On the other, you reject reason, evidence, and
"materialistic reductionism" outright and accept purely on faith a
literal interpretation of translations of texts that are then claimed
to be the literal, unalterable, words of God. So-called "scientific"
claims for a young earth are simply untenable by all accepted science.


--
Mike Dworetsky

(Remove pants sp*mbl*ck to reply)

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Need some assistance
    ... and is asking my pastor to intelligently debate the topic of Deep Time ... We are looking for links to articles - I have Googled some. ... instance of many on the age of the universe: ... all of modern science simply goes with the multi-billion year fact. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Need some assistance
    ... and is asking my pastor to intelligently debate the topic of Deep Time ... We are looking for links to articles - I have Googled some. ... instance of many on the age of the universe: ... all of modern science simply goes with the multi-billion year fact. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Need some assistance
    ... and is asking my pastor to intelligently debate the topic of Deep Time ... We are looking for links to articles - I have Googled some. ... instance of many on the age of the universe: ... earth is 13 billion or 14 billion or 13.7 billion or exactly what is ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Need some assistance
    ... and is asking my pastor to intelligently debate the topic of Deep Time ... We are looking for links to articles - I have Googled some. ... instance of many on the age of the universe: ... all of modern science simply goes with the multi-billion year fact. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Need some assistance
    ... and is asking my pastor to intelligently debate the topic of Deep Time ... instance of many on the age of the universe: ... there are a tremendous number of ways of knowing that the universe, ... earth is 13 billion or 14 billion or 13.7 billion or exactly what is ...
    (talk.origins)