These questions will be taken from your course readings (in the textbooks, handouts, or on the Web) and occasionally from previous class discussions. I will expect you all to have written down brief answers to these questions in the spaces below and on the back of the page. During class I will call on students to address these questions. Some will be difficult to answer briefly, so think of fruitful ways to bring out the appropriate issues. I will not collect these papers for grading, but they are essential components of your participation grade in class.

Reading for this day: Genesis, Chapters 1-3.

1. We'll start with the very familiar. Read Genesis 1 carefully and list below the order of Creation. How does this compare to the order we know from evolution and the fossil record?

2. Now read Genesis 2: 4-24. How does this account differ from Genesis 1?

3. Genesis 3 is a very different kind of story. We will not pursue the religious issues very deeply, but we must provide a context for Scientific Creationism. What is this story meant to explain? What are some characteristics of God revealed in it?

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 27-36

1. What intellectual dichotomy does Morris attempt to force the reader into on page 27 (and in the cartoon before it!)? Again, religion is not directly our topic, but we need to understand the foundations for all the arguments to follow.

2. Briefly outline the primary arguments of the "Old Earth Creationists" presented in this selection of Morris.

3. The cartoon on page 35 of Morris lists the "Gap Theory", but he doesn't discuss it in the text (or at least I've not found it). What is this theory? (Sounds like a good Web project to me!)

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 118-136; Genesis 1-3 (again)

1. Why, according to Morris, has such a "faulty theory" as evolution survived as long as it has?

2. What is at stake for Morris when it comes to the age of the Earth? In other words, why is it so important to him that the Earth be less than 10,000 years old?

3. We will review again the Creationist version of early Earth history. What is "The Curse" and what scriptural evidence is used to show that it affected all creation? (Please reread the appropriate portions of Genesis.)

Reading for this day: Numbers (1982) article in Science

1. The Scopes Trial in 1925 is the defining epic in the history of creationism in the United States. It was not a simple event, even though it is characterized that way in the passion play and movie Inherit The Wind. Please be prepared to reconstruct the intellectual and religious climate facing William Jennings Bryan as he "assisted the prosecution".

2. What was Bryan's view of Genesis and the age of the Earth? How would he be considered today by, say, our friends at Answers In Genesis?

3. Please describe the state of creationism in the decade following the Scopes Trial. Did they pursue further anti-evolution initiatives? Where was their leadership? What were their fundamental principles?

Reading for this day: Numbers (1982) Science article; Morris (1976) ICR Impact article (see web).

1. Who was Harold W. Clark? What was his relationship with George McCready Price? What is his "peculiar theology" rejected by Henry Morris (who retained his geological ideas)?

2. Henry Morris and the rise of modern creationism is our next historical section. Who is Morris and what were his first contributions to creationism?

3. Please describe the basic philosophy Morris has in regard to "geological catastrophes". Refer to his 1976 Impact article. Think about the lineage of ideas from Price to Clark to Morris.

Reading for this day: Numbers (1982) Science article; Morris (1976) ICR Impact article (see web).

1. Ironically, how did the atheist activist Madalyn Murray (whose murdered remains were just discovered in Texas, by the way) inspire creationists in California?

2. What was the strategy beginning in the 1970s of the now "creation scientists" when it came to getting creationism in the public schools?

3. How are the philosophers of science Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper important heroes to the modern creationist movement? Be prepared to discuss their relevant ideas, even if you have to find them outside of the reading.

Reading for this day: Creation "Science": A Legal History; Seven Significant Court Decisions

1. What was the reasoning behind the 1968 U.S. Supreme Court ruling (Epperson vs. Arkansas) that all state "monkey laws" (similar to the Tennessee law under which Scopes was tried) were unconstitutional?

2. McLean vs. Arkansas Board of Education (1981) is one of the landmark federal court decisions in this issue. Describe the issues behind the Arkansas statute it addresses and the reasoning behind Judge Overton's decision.

3. Textbook disclaimers have become popular means to express anti-evolution concepts in the public school system. What is the typical construction of such a statement? What is the logic behind them? How have they fared when challenged in the courts?

Reading for this day: Dr. Tas Walker's "Biblical Geological Model"

1. What is the primary assumption behind Dr. Walker's model? How does his "Biblical perspective" inform his "geological research"?

2. Dr. Walker's "Biblical Chronology" is essential for the geological model which follows. How was such a timeline originally developed by Archbishop Ussher and others? How does this square with archaeological data of ancient civilizations? (Your turn, archaeologists!)

3. Briefly describe each of the "four parts" of Earth history as outlined by Dr. Walker. Stay at the "overview" level for this; we will spend most of our time talking about these intervals in detail later.

Reading for this day: Dr. Tas Walker's "Biblical Geological Model"

1. Dr. Walker says that there are two "stages of the Flood event" which are geological significant: the Inundatory Stage and the Recessive Stage. What sort of rock and fossil record does he expect in these stages? (Be ready to explain "eruptive", "ascending", "zenithic", "ablative" and "dispersive".)

2. Dr. Walker's "New-World Era" is divided into the "Residual" and "Modern". Again, what is the distinction? What evidence does he expect to find in the rock record for these intervals?

3. Rock deformation is clearly a problem for Young Earth Creationists. How does Dr. Walker explain it?

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 4-43 (especially p. 4-25)

1. Start with the foreword by Dr. Henry M. Morris, the grand old man of Scientific Creationism. What is his main evidence for "the scientific case for creation"? What does he see as the "one serious problem" still facing those making a scientific case for creation? What is his motivation for so doggedly pursuing Scientific Creationism for all these years?

2. Read through the definitions on pages 10 and 11. Are there any important theological or scientific concepts not defined here? Are there any definitions which appear to have particularly "loaded" terms in them?

3. Explain the "circular reasoning" story told on pages 13-16. What philosophical concepts is Morris using? How would you tell the story differently?

Reading for this day: "Noah's Ark Feasibility Study" (See course webpage)

1. The web-reading is a slide presentation with notes. Be sure to read the notes carefully, not just the slides. Note that the source of the information and ideas is from John Woodmorappe, a man we will meet again later. Here's a starting quotation: "Radiocarbon [dating] clearly points to a worldwide catastrophe destructive of man, beast, tree, and marine life." What is the evidence here?

2. How did Noah fit all those animals on the Ark? What are the basic concepts used in the explanation? (You don't have to give me ALL the details.)

3. Just how different was the "antediluvian world" and how did this help Noah in his enormous task?

Reading for this day: "Noah's Ark Feasibility Study" (See course webpage); Genesis 6-8.
Video for this week: "The Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark" (CBS, 1993)

1. This week we are going to watch most of the Noah's Ark video. It is just too good to pass up because it provides so many opportunities for us to deploy our critical thinking and research skills. Here is the basic information on the video:

World Premier Showing: CBS Network February 20, 1993.
Produced by Sun International Pictures. 1993.
Executive Producer: Charles Sellier, Jr.; Chief Researcher: Dave Balsiger
Host: Darren McGavin

Your job this week is to watch the video carefully, keeping copious notes about the arguments presented, the "experts" interviewed, the credibility of the witnesses, and the rhetorical style of the production. I want you to also find out as much as you can about this film from whatever source. This includes its history, how it was received by the public, and any issues it generated. Be prepared on Friday to discuss your observations and the results of your research. I will expect a full analysis, including any news about the film itself.

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 44-67 (especially 51-67)

1. Morris states that the "first assumption" of radioactive dating is the constant decay rate. He is willing to grant it, but many other creationists are not. Please find an example by searching the Web or other literature and bring it to class.

2. Morris is not so pleased to grant "the second assumption". What is this assumption and what are the geological issues to consider when addressing it? (In other words, how does a geologist answer this objection?)

3. The "third assumption" posited by Morris is the primary issue for creationists: why do we assume that none of the daughter material was present at the start of the system? Again, be prepared to respond as a geologist.

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 44-67; Austin, p. 111-131; Talk.Origins Archive critique of this "research" (Stassen, 1999).

1. The basalts of the Grand Canyon are a centerpiece of the Institute of Creation Research criticism of radiometric dating. Please read the relevant sections in Morris and Austin, and then the critique of this work by Stassen (on the Web and as a handout). In class we will reconstruct the story, the principles behind the science, and the rhetoric used in both arguments. Use the space below for notes.

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 62-67; Creationist arguments by Robert Gentry and AiG; Anti-Creationist arguments by Talk.Origins and Journal of Geological Education.

1. "Polonium halos" are our first and main topic for today. The Creationists refer to them as "fingerprints of creation" and "Creation's tiny mystery". They represent one of the stronger arguments that "scientific creationists" have developed. First, what is the origin and structure of a Polonium halo?

2. How are these halos used by Creationists to show the "nearly instantaneous" creation of granite?

3. What are the geological issues cited by conventional geologists in response?

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 72-117.

1. This week we begin to examine direct creationist evidence for a young Earth, starting with "worldwide physical processes" in Morris. What is his evidence that the Earth's magnetic field has been decaying over the last century and a half? How does Morris (along with his colleagues) use this data to demonstrate a young Earth?

2. What are the two "models" proposed by Morris for the generation of the Earth's magnetic field? What problems does he find with the "uniformitarian" explanation?

3. "It appears that major plate movements may have occurred in the past, but that they have come (or are coming) to a halt today" (p. 79). There's a surprising statement from someone who calls himself a geologist. What is he using to support this claim? How do you respond?

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 83-117.

1. Dr. Morris says it is "one of my favorite young earth arguments". Mine too. How does he use the accumulation of helium in the atmosphere to deny an old Earth? Where does helium come from in the first place? How do geologists respond to this argument? (You may want to check out the Stassen article on Talk.Origins).

2. The old salt-in-the-ocean argument produces an "age" of the Earth near 62 million years for Dr. Morris, but at least it's not billions! How do you respond to this idea?

3. Creationists at ICR have backed away from it, but Dr. Morris still cites the dust-on-the-Moon story as evidence of a Young Earth. What is this "dust"? How did the argument begin? Compare the account by Morris with that by Stassen in the above webpage.

Reading for this day: Morris, p. 93-117.

1. Now we move to the junction between Creationist concepts of chronology and their Flood Geology. At the start of Chapter 8, how does Dr. Morris distinguish between the "neocatastrophism" of modern geologists and his own version of catastrophism?

2. Ripples, tracks, and raindrop impressions in sedimentary rocks are used by Dr. Morris to show a single, watery event. As geologists, you know better. How?

3. So much to talk about here, but I can choose only a few for these questions. How about "polystrate fossils"? Why are they so important to Creationists? How are they explained by conventional geologists? (Along with the Morris text, see the Talk.Origins polystrate trees webpage.)

Reading for this day: Genesis, 6-9; "The Hydroplate Theory" (direct from Brown himself or a pdf summary).

1. Please read Genesis 6-9 for a re-orientation back into Flood Geology, and then study the bizarre and elaborate "Hydroplate Theory" articles online for our study questions. The first: how does Dr. Brown explain magnetic anomalies on the ocean floors?

2. How, according to Dr. Brown, is the process of "liquefaction" during The Flood used to explain stratification and the order of the fossil record?

3. How are earthquakes a function of post-Flood geology in the Hydroplate Model?

Reading for this day: Isaak (1998): Problems with a global flood.

1. On Wednesday we will finish our discussion of Noah's Flood with a summary from the skeptical literature. I've listed twelve topics below, one for each of you. I will assign them at the beginning of Monday's class, and then you will prepare yourself to present the material on Wednesday. The best source may be the webpage listed above. The topics:

Gathering the animals
Fitting the animals on the Ark
Caring for the animals on the Ark
The vapor canopy
Runaway subduction
New ocean basins
Formation of mountains after the Flood
Preservation of fossils
How did plants survive?
How did fish survive?
How did corals survive?
How did animals get to their present ranges?

Please be prepared to present the problem, the skeptical issues, and the Creationist responses to the skepticism (if any). Please go beyond the listed webpage. You will find most of the material familiar by now, so there will not be much research (but there will be some!).

Reading for this day: Austin (1994): pages iii-19.

1. On the Monday back from Spring Break we will start on the work of a new Creationist author with a different style from others you've read. First we will see part of an ICR film on Grand Canyon geology, and then we will discuss the new material in general terms. Thus your reading is light, and there is just this one question: "The Grandest of Canyons" is important to Dr. Austin for what scriptural and spiritual reasons?

Reading for this day: Austin (1994): pages 21-56.

1. Dr. Austin begins this section with a discussion of the "interpretive frameworks" geologists use to draw historical conclusions from rocks and fossils. (This seems to be a trend in modern creationist argument.) What appears to be the rhetorical point of this talk of premises, presuppositions and biases?

2. Carbonates! What is the "lime-mud problem" outlined by Dr. Austin? How do you respond to this with your knowledge of sedimentary geology? (In other words, vast parts of the carbonate story seem to be left out here!)

3. How does the author support the view that the Coconino Sandstone represents submarine "sand waves" rather than eolian sand dunes?

Reading for this day: Austin (1994): pages 57-110.

1. We don't often see Scientific Creationists explain with such detail rocks supposedly formed during Creation Week, but Dr. Austin boldly goes there. Describe the range of geological events he postulates occurred during Earth's first six days.

2. On page 69, Dr. Austin has a sedimentary facies model which correlates the Tapeats Sandstone with the Bright Angel Shale and the Muav Limestone (all Cambrian). What looks like a transgression to us becomes the advancing Global Flood. What are the stratigraphic issues here?

3. On page 101 is a photograph showing a "spectacular example of a cliff without active talus deposit". (It looks like plenty of talus to me, but I have these mind-forged manacles ) What are the issues here when it comes to an explanation of how the Grand Canyon formed? What is Dr. Austin's basic model and how do you respond?

Reading for this day: Austin (1994): pages 133-152.

1. What sort of fossils does Dr. Austin describe from the Precambrian strata of the Grand Canyon? How does he explain them in terms of the Creationist model? Do you note any conceptual problems here?

2. "Plausible, ancestral forms for Grand Canyon fossils have not been found in any Precambrian strata anywhere in the world" (Austin, 1994, p. 147). Is this true, geologists?

3. "Sponges, foraminifera, and corals, which are thought to precede trilobites in evolution, are first found in the Canyon above the first trilobites" (Austin, 1994, p. 147). List the fallacies here, both logical and geological.

On Friday we will talk about the supposed "man tracks" found with those of dinosaurs. For a preview of the issues, see Glen Kuban's footprints page.

Reading for this day: Austin (1994): pages 133-152.

1. "Diversity should precede disparity", says Dr. Austin about the fossil record. What does this mean?

2. Examine that inset quotation by Erwin et al. on page 148. How is this used to argue against the standard evolutionary diversification model? Does this argument work?

3. Some Creationists claim that body fossils of amphibians and reptiles tend to occur in strata above their trackways (p. 150). Assuming this is true, how does it fit into their Flood Geology model? Can you think of other explanations for this pattern? (Again, assuming ...)

Reading for this day: "On the heels of dinosaurs" (Kuban, 1996); portion of Carl Baugh's dissertation.

1. Today we will sort out the issues in the so-called "man tracks" controversy. Some creationists claim to have found dinosaur and human tracks together, greatly disrupting our concepts of geological time and evolution. Start with the two sources above and find at least one other reference (most likely a website) covering the issue from either a creationist or evolutionist perspective. Be prepared to discuss in class the evidence, stratigraphy, and arguments.

Reading for this day: Zindler (1985), "The Kiwi Question"; Kofahl (1998), "The Creation Explanation".

1. Outline the creationist explanation for the distribution of plants and animals after the Flood (you should use more sources than just the webpage cited above).

2. Does this explanation really address the evidence? Why or why not?

Reading for this day: Trott (1994), "Debating the ICR's Duane Gish"; Scott (1994), "Debates and the Globetrotters"; AiG (2000), "BBC TV ...".

1. First, is it worth debating Creationists in public? Why or why not? Consider the arguments of Scott (1994) and how you in particular think you would perform.

2. How would you approach a public debate with a creationist, assuming you had no choice?

3. Compare various media for debates (including websites, newspaper editorials, radio, television, and public meetings). What differences would each medium make to the message? Which would be most effective for which audiences?

Reading for this day: Vardiman (1992) "Ice cores and the age of the Earth"; Vardiman (1994), "Out of whose womb came the ice?"; Vardiman (1997), "Rapid changes in oxygen isotope content of ice cores caused by fractionation and trajectory dispersion near the edge of an ice shelf".

1. How is the preservation of World War II airplanes in Greenland used to denigrate ice cores as an indication of geological time? What is your response as a geologist?

2. In Vardiman's model, when does glaciation appear on Earth? How is it related to ocean temperature?

3. Vardiman (1997) writes in his abstract: "If ice shelves grew slowly during the 'Ice Age' and melted rapidly during deglaciation, the [isotopic] trend observed in ice cores can be explained in thousands of years, consistent with a short interpretation of Earth history." Be prepared to explain this!

Reading for this day: Oard (1987) "The Ice Age and the Genesis Flood".

1. What is Oard's mechanism for producing the dramatic cooling and the higher evaporation needed to trigger glaciation? Any problems with this idea?

2. Again according to Oard, how would the glacial ice also melt so quickly at the end of the single ice age?

3. Finally, how do the Creationists support their concept that there was only one ice age in the Pleistocene (or ever, for that matter)? What geological evidence are they completely ignoring? (It is a long list.)

Reading for this day: Cambridge Cosmology (1996) "The Hot Big Bang Model"; Morris (1994) "The Big Bust".

1. What are the "The Four Pillars of the Standard Cosmology"?

2. Briefly describe at least one "shortcoming" of the Standard Cosmology as outlined by the Cambridge group.

3. What is the primary objection that the ICR Creationists have to the Big Bang model?