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Reason In Circles Together
Inconsistencies With The GC
By Jonathan A. Drake
©TrueAuthority.com - 2/02

The bible of the evolutionist, otherwise known as the Geologic Column, or Geologic Timescale, is the focus of this article. As with any publication of True Authority, it is the ultimate goal to correctly expose and refute any form of falsehood prevalent in any part of the theory of evolution, or creation. So, I invite you to join me, studying the core of evolutionary thinking, on a journey of Circular Reasoning.

The main purpose of this article is not to bore the reader with meaningless facts about each Era, or Period, but to accurately explain to the reader the function that the Column plays in the actual dating methods.

When a fossil is discovered, it is not dated using any form of radiometric dating:

"Apart from very 'modern' examples, which are really archaeology, I can think of no cases of radioactive decay being used to date fossils."[1]

So how is it dated?

"Paleontologists cannot operate this way. There is no way simply to look at a fossil and say how old it is unless you know the age of the rocks it comes from."[2]

"Fossils help geologists figure out the ages of rock strata and the times at which animals and plants lived."[3]

"The rocks do date the fossils, but the fossils date the rocks more accurately. Stratigraphy cannot avoid this kind of reasoning, if it insists on using only temporal concepts, because circularity is inherent in the derivation of time scales."[4]

"Scientists determine when fossils were formed by finding out the age of the rocks in which they lie."[5]

"Paleontology (the study of fossils) is important in the study of geology. The age of rocks may be determined by the fossils found in them."[6]

The rocks they are found in date the fossils. It is impossible to really know how old a fossil is unless you know what rock layer it was found in. Therefore, how do you know how old the rocks are? By what fossils are present! Certain types of fossils are called index fossils, and their presence determines what age the rock is. So, the fossils date the rocks, but the rocks date the fossils. That is a prime example of circular reasoning. Clearly the Geologic Column is based upon faulty reasoning, and is itself a faulty system. In fact, it does not exist anywhere in full form on this globe. Not one geologist could take you to a place on the earth and show the entire Geologic Column. The only place it exists is in the textbooks and the imaginations of scientists.

Some think that radiometric dating verifies the ages of the rocks, but even radiometric dating is calibrated to the Column:

"Structure, metamorphism, sedimentary reworking, and other complications have to be considered. Radiometric dating would not have been feasible if the geologic column had not been erected first."[7]

A system of Circular Reasoning should have no place in any scientific discussion or arena. The Geologic Column is a clear case of reasoning in circles.



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References:

1. Ager, Derek V., "Fossil Frustrations," New Scientist, vol. 100 (November 10, 1983), p. 425.
2. Eldredge, Niles, "Time Frames: The Rethinking of Darwinian Evolution and the Theory of Punctuated Equilibria" (New York: Simon ad Schuster, 1985), p. 51.
3. Hirschfeld, Sue Ellen, "Earth-History of the Earth," World Book Encyclopedia, vol.6(1996), p. 26.
4. O'Rourke, J.E., "Pragmatism versus Materialism in Stratigraphy," American Journal of Science, vol. 276 (January, 1976), p. 53.
5. Welles, Samuel Paul, "Fossils," World Book Encyclopedia, vol. 7 (1978), p. 364.
6. Welles, Samuel Paul, "Paleontology," World Book Encyclopedia, vol. 15 (1978), p. 85.
7. O'Rourke, J.E., "Pragmatism versus Materialism in Stratigraphy," American Journal of Science, vol. 276 (January, 1976) p. 54.



Available online at www.trueauthority.com/cvse/geologic.htm