Mark I. Vuletic

Last updated 21 March 2008

Analysis

(i) According to paleontologist Niles Eldredge,

the basics of the geological column...as well as most of the basic divisions of geological time, were established well before Darwin published On the Origin in 1859. And in fact, to the extent that they held any publicly expressed opinions on the subject, the geologists who established the basic sequence of divisions of geological time back then were creationists. (Eldredge 2000:104)

(ii) The absolute age of rocks is accurately determined by the use of radioisotope dating. It is true that, as Eldredge points out, the relative ages of strata were determined prior to the development of radiometric dating, but radiometric dating has confirmed these relative dates to be correct. Absolute dating by radioisotopes has likewise confirmed the long time span necessary for evolution. (Brush 1983:64)

References

Brush SG. 1983. Ghosts from the nineteenth century: creationist arguments for a young Earth. In Godfrey 1983:49-84.

Godfrey L (ed.). 1983. Scientists Confront Creationism. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

Eldredge N. 2000. The Triumph of Evolution: and the Failure of Creationism. New York: W. H. Freeman.