It is not uncommon for someone with a YEC (Young Earth Creationist) belief system to state that they do not have a problem with science at large, just with evolution or more expansively, the parts that may disagree with a literal, and inerrant reading of the Bible.
I would like to use this post to determine what parts of science disagree with the YEC belief and therefore would be impacted under a YEC -only educational and research orientation. I would also like to know what would then be left of the sciences after going through the filter of YEC.
For purposes of discussion, I would like to define YEC as a belief that the Earth and cosmos are 6,000 years old, that a great flood covering the planet occured around 2300 BC, and that life did not evolve but rather was specially created within this time frame.
To get such a discussion started, I would like to point out which fields I know of off the top of my head would be impacted. This is by no means comprehensive, so please add what I have left out, as per the purpose of this proposal.
Because I have a little more familiarity with the geosciences than other fields, I will start there.
Geosciences:
Historical Geology - geologic eras and periods of Earth's history as commonly defined would require considerable contraction.
Sedimentary Geology - principles concerning sedimentary layering, deposition rates, uniformitarianism, and age of formations would all have to be revised.
Structural Geology - events concerning large scale deformation would have to be retimed and speeded up.
Paleontology - ages of fossils would require recalibration, current evolutionary relationships would be nonexistant.
Tectonics - would require continents to move at extraordinary speed, then slow to historically observed rates.
Volcanism - no volcanoes prior to 6000 yrs ago would indicate massive simultaneous eruptions.
Paleomagnetism - would require massive revision of observed change in polarity of Earth to fit 6,000 year timeline.
Dendritics - tree rings would have to be recounted and model of annual growth changed to fit in with young Earth, also applies to varves and ice cores.
Geochemistry - role of isotopes in geologic dating would require massive change in model.
Hydrology - ages of water in confined subsurface aquifers would require revision to fit 6K Earth. Models concerning hydraulic conductivity and recharge rates would require significant revision.
Geophysics - various models of formation and age of Earth would require massive revision. Even heat dispersion as outlined by Kelvin would need revision to fit YEC.
Minerology - only area of geology unaffected by YEC (so far as I know at moment)
Physics:
Nuclear - models of decay would require massive revision due to age of half-lives (see geochemistry).
Cosmology - entire universe would have to be contracted to 6,000 year radius to fit in with Genesis account of creation and observed speed of light. Hypothesis of stellar formation, distances, evolution, would be revised. Galaxies must all fit in with young age. Background radiation from singularity event would have to be reexplained.
Particle - Proton decay models out.
Atmospheric - climate models including ice core data would require revision.
Chemistry:
Isotope decay models would be massively revised. see geochemistry
Biosciences
Central model of evolution would have to be discarded. Results would be too many for me to list, will defer to experts.
{this is really outside of my area, please contribute as see fit}
Anthropology
Physical - since human evolution would be out, whole field gone.
Cultural - see linguistics.
Archeology - all models and interpretations concerning digs older than 6,000 years would require revision.
Linguistics
Models of language development, dispersal, and evolution would require revision to fit in with Tower of Babel.
Also history that goes too far back would require rewriting. Accounts of early history of Chinese, Indus Valley, Mesoamerica, Sumeria, Egypt, etc. would require rewriting. Oral history of Australian Aborigonies going back 40-50,000 years would have to be discarded.
I'm sure I left out a lot, so should this topic be promoted, would like to hear about other areas for purposes of learning. Also, I would like to hear from the YECs to explain how such an orientation would have little or no effect on these subjects.
Thank you. Hope the topic is not too broad.
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