Creationists:: What would convince you that evolution has happened ?

My compliments on the quality of jet's post. This string is actually showing signs of going an interesting and informative route.I'll have to get back with some real commentary, after I think things over some. Moose------------------
BS degree, geology, '83
Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Old Earth evolution - Yes
Godly creation - Maybe

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proof and not merely evidence

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The concept of proof in science has been beat on in many of the other topics. I am personally hoping to keep it out of this string.Moose------------------
BS degree, geology, '83
Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Old Earth evolution - Yes
Godly creation - Maybe

Victoria, you seemed to have had one of those all important personal revelations.On the (not really) other side of the coin, the old universe/earth and the evolution of the universe, earth, and the life on earth still remains a strongly scientificly supported matter.Regards,Moose------------------
BS degree, geology, '83
Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Old Earth evolution - Yes
Godly creation - Maybe

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Originally posted by Jet:
Percy: "There is no such thing as proof in science."

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This is where we disagree. I contend that science not only can provide proofs but has indeed done so and continues to do so. Consider the existance of the microscopic world. What was once nothing more than an unproveable contention is now an established scientific fact, a "proven" fact. Would you argue that science has not proven that the microscopic world does indeed exist? If so, why?

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There is extreamly strong evidence that the microscopic world exists. It is a "fact", as in the scientific concept of a "fact", as discussed elsewhere. But it is not absolutely proven.Likewise, there has been a progression of life observed in the fossil record of the geologic column. This progression is also a fact (or a collection of facts). But it too, could be argued as not being absolutely proven.------------------
BS degree, geology, '83
Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Old Earth evolution - Yes
Godly creation - Maybe

From Edge (message 356):

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Hmm, need I remind you that we convict people and punish them based on circumstantial evidence? Hey, it's just an INTERPETATION of the evidence, isn't it? The point here is that any explanation of the past, even in recorded history, is based on interpretation. It is ALL that we've got. We cannot know everthing between A and B. The question is the validity of the underlying premises. Moose has given us a very succinct and comprehensive list of mainstream geological premises, and maybe he could reproduce them here (I didn't copy them as I should have), so that you could refute them one by one.

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I presume this is what your looking for -
from Radiometric Dating and the Geological Time Scale -
and, more specificly Radiometric Dating and the Geological Time Scale :

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Background

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Stratigraphic Principles and Relative Time

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Much of the Earth's geology consists of successional layers of different rock types, piled one on top of another. The most common rocks observed in this form are sedimentary rocks (derived from what were formerly sediments), and extrusive igneous rocks (e.g., lavas, volcanic ash, and other formerly molten rocks extruded onto the Earth's surface). The layers of rock are known as "strata", and the study of their succession is known as "stratigraphy". Fundamental to stratigraphy are a set of simple principles, based on elementary geometry, empirical observation of the way these rocks are deposited today, and gravity. Most of these principles were formally proposed by Nicolaus Steno (Niels Steensen, Danish), in 1669, although some have an even older heritage that extends as far back as the authors of the Bible. A few principles were recognized and specified later. An early summary of them is found in Charles Lyell's "Principles of Geology", published in 1830-32, and does not differ greatly from a modern formulation:

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1) The principle of superposition - in a vertical sequence of sedimentary or volcanic rocks, a higher rock unit is younger than a lower one. "Down" is older, "up" is younger.

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2) The principle of original horizontality - rock layers were originally deposited close to horizontal.

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3) The principle of original lateral extension - A rock unit continues laterally unless there is a structure or change to prevent its extension.

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4) The principle of cross-cutting relationships - a structure that cuts another is younger than the structure that is cut.

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5) The principle of inclusion - a structure that is included in another is older than the including structure.

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6) The principle of "uniformitarianism" - processes operating in the past were constrained by the same "laws of physics" as operate today.

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Note that these are principles. In no way are they meant to imply there are no exceptions. ...

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One might also wish to use this sites "search" utility, to find other topics that Radiometric Dating and the Geological Time Scale has appeared in.Cheers,
Moose------------------
BS degree, geology, '83
Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Old Earth evolution - Yes
Godly creation - Maybe