Earth science curriculum tailored to fit wavering fundamentalists

Hi ChristianGuy,Don't let Adminnemooseus discourage you, he's just trying to keep discussion threads on topic. I'll try to post a response over at the What is the Latest On Dr Schweitzer Trex Soft Tissue Find? thread.--Percy

I think of uniformitarianism as constancy in the array of physical laws at work in the universe. They're the same everywhere throughout the universe and throughout all time.The trick is determining what are the physical laws. Matter and energy always produce gravity, and the Nile always floods every year (pre-Aswan Dam everywhere along its course, now only in Sudan), but gravity is a physical law and the annual Nile flood is not (and anyway, the Nile doesn't always flood).We know that food doesn't explode, and farmers store their grain in elevators year after year under the assumption that grain doesn't explode, but sometimes it does. But an exploding grain elevator is neither a miracle nor a physical law.What we do know is that when the Nile floods or when a grain elevator explodes that both are following the physical laws of the universe. Which, from all the evidence we have, are the same everywhere across all time.--Percy

Yes, absolutely!It's worth mentioning that uniformitarianism originally did service in the context of geology, where it was understood that the same processes at work today upon the Earth had been operating throughout the Earth's entire past and were responsible for shaping the planet. These processes, not fundamental physical laws but underlain by them, had over and over again pushed up and then eroded mountains, caused marine incursions and retreats, and added to and subtracted from continents. As Hutton said, "No vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end."--Percy

I missed you saying this earlier. Since they obviously could have not come by their current beliefs through an examination of the evidence, are you sure your investment of time is justified? They could very easily just dismiss your evidence or not give it sufficient consideration.Of course, the same question could be asked of this entire website...--Percy

I found a copy, but it's blurry as all get out: Radiocarbon: Some notes from Merlin's Diary. Here's my best take on it: After that I couldn't make anything out, but it doesn't look like your quote.--Percy