Re: [asa] geological dating

Don wrote:

> "evolution is not integral to the dating...."
>
> Index fossils are widely used for relative dating of rocks, so in that
> sense evolution is integral to such dating. That is, if you find fossil x,
> you know that the formation is at least as old as the time at which fossil x
> first appeared. Without evolution you wouldn't be able to say this.
>

Index fossils would work even if common descent were false. What needs to
be the case is that particular fossils, or assemblages of fossils, are
restricted to a particular time interval. "Index" fossils are particularly
useful fossils for correlation because they are both geographically
widespread and short lived.

The technique of using fossil content to find your place within the
geological column goes back to the early 1800's when the relative geological
time scale was defined. As I stated previously, this was done by
individuals who rejected evolutionary change.

Keith

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Received on Wed Oct 14 14:13:55 2009