Fwd: [asa] Plate tectonics

 
 
In a message dated 10/26/2006 9:42:05 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
CCarriga@olivet.edu writes:

SNIP... I have been trying over the past week to decide if there is another
idea as equally important in the science as these, but I don't think
so...SNIP
 
Best,
Charles

The most important was not mentioned, I think. I received and A on a final
in a class titled "Interior of the earth". The question was "Congratulations!
You have won a contest and can ask the Arch Angel Gabriel any 5 questions
about the Earth. What are they?
 
Is the present the key to the past? Was the winner.

 
Regards,
ASJack Jackson

attached mail follows:

Randy,
 
Glad the info on plate tectonics was helpful. Others have chimed in also with some great information.
 
The rock cycle simply states that there are 3 basic kinds of rocks, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, that there are processes that act on and within the Earth that can turn one kind of rock into another, and that each of these rock types can be newly formed or destroyed as the Earth continues to exist. This idea was, of course, not always understood. In the past, some people thought all rocks were produced under water - the Neptunists I think they were called. It was James Hutton who first proposed the idea that some rocks actually start out as liquids - melted rock that has now cooled.
 
Essentially, I really think there are 4 ideas that anyone who takes a geology course should learn, because these are the fundamental ideas that the science of geology has contributed to humanity. These ideas are nowhere in dispute by any reputable persons based on scientific data. 1) the rock cycle; 2) the antiquity of the Earth; 3) faunal succession; 4) plate tectonics. I have been trying over the past week to decide if there is another idea as equally important in the science as these, but I don't think so. Perhaps some of the other geologists on this list would have something more to add. Young-Earth creationist models of flood geology have irreconcilable problems with all of these.
 
Best,
Charles
 
_______________________________
Charles W. Carrigan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Geology
Olivet Nazarene Univ., Dept. of Physical Sciences
One University Ave.
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
PH: (815) 939-5346
FX: (815) 939-5071
ccarriga@olivet.edu
http://geology.olivet.edu/
 
"To a naturalist nothing is indifferent;
the humble moss that creeps upon the stone
is equally interesting as the lofty pine which so beautifully adorns the valley or the mountain:
but to a naturalist who is reading in the face of the rocks the annals of a former world,
the mossy covering which obstructs his view,
and renders indistinguishable the different species of stone,
is no less than a serious subject of regret."
          - James Hutton
_______________________________

>>> "Randy Isaac" <randyisaac@adelphia.net> 10/20/2006 10:25 AM >>>

Very helpful, Charles. Of course the next question is. What's the fundamental truth of the rock cycle?
Randy
----- Original Message -----
From: Charles Carrigan
To: randyisaac@adelphia.net ; asa@calvin.edu
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 12:18 AM
Subject: Re: [asa] Plate tectonics

Hi Randy,
 
.......
 In my attempt to summarize the truth claims of geology into a few simple sound bytes, I forgot one major one - the rock cycle. So bump it up to 4 great truth claims. Pretty much all else in geology is details.
 
Best,
Charles
 

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Received on Fri Oct 27 13:32:50 2006