Science and Creationism 25. Miscellaneous © Colin Frayn, 2008-2011

Science and Creationism

25. Miscellaneous

© Colin Frayn, 2008-2011www.frayn.net


Leap Seconds• Our time system approximates the Earth’s rotation

– It’s not quite aligned– Sometimes we need to correct it

• Leap seconds ensure that the official UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) agrees with MST (Mean Solar Time)– UTC is based on atomic clocks– MST is based on the rotation of the Earth– 86,400 seconds in a day– One second is precisely defined– One solar day is slightly (0.002s) longer than this

• Leap seconds are not added because of the Earth’s rotation slowing down!– They are added because one second is slightly less than

1/86400th of a solar day


The Majority• Almost all scientists accept Evolution

– That doesn’t prove it– Science isn’t a democracy

• Theories are based on evidence

• However, it gives pause for thought– Why do they all support it?– How could so many people spend their entire lives

studying something in enormous detail and all be completely wrong about it?

• That could happen without evidence• But scientists seem to think that the evidence is

overwhelmingly in support of evolution– How could they miss Hovind’s simple alleged disproofs?


Debates• Why do scientists refuse to debate?

• Science isn’t a popularity contest– This isn’t the X-Factor– We don’t vote off the theory with the stupidest name

• Be honest– If you don’t know, don’t lie!

• It takes seconds to make a false statement, and (potentially) hours to prove that it’s false– E.g. saying that ‘radiometric dating is unreliable’ takes three

seconds– Showing why it is reliable requires a complete explanation of

the entire technique, which would take hours• Especially for anyone not familiar with exponential mathematics,

nuclear physics, chemistry, geology …


Goliath and Giants• Goliath was 6 cubits and a span

– Nine feet tall?– According to the dead sea scrolls, it says four cubits and a

span• A much more reasonable 6’6”

– Or it could mean a short cubit (elbow to wrist)• A tall, but not crazy 6’9”

• Emperor Maximinus Thrax was 8’6” tall?– Cited in Historia Augusta– Almost certainly fictional

• The work cites fictional authorities

• Skeletons of giants– There are several stories, but zero evidence– Provide one single giant skeleton and the argument is over


Conspiracy Theories

This is a law without exceptions:

All conspiracy theories are wrong

• A conspiracy theory is one held with extreme emotion against the evidence

• They are held because people want or need them to be true, not because they are true

• They can sometimes seem very convincing


Theistic Evolution• Did God “nudge” Evolution in the right direction?

• Hovind says “It is not the character of the God of the Bible to use misfits, blind chance and death. He gets it right the first time.”– Except, of course, for the flood

• Everything had gone wrong, so God used death to sort it out

– The 12 disciples were basically misfits• Taken from all walks of life• Uneducated• Poor


The Bible Code• The Bible Code is merely daft statistics• You can get codes from any book you choose

• Assassinations foretold in Moby Dick:

– http://cs.anu.edu.au/~bdm/dilugim/moby.html

http://cs.anu.edu.au/~bdm/dilugim/moby.html


Separation of Church and State• US Constitution

– No religious test required for office

• Thomas Jefferson– A “wall of separation” between Church & state

• Is this misleading?– Creationism is not just a religious belief, it’s wrong

• Creationism in the UK seems not to be a huge problem– (Though it’s sadly getting worse)

– We don’t teach it because it’s false– If it were true then we’d teach it regardless of whether or not

it’s also in the Bible


The End• Points to take away:

– Creationists are not (all) stupid– Delusional beliefs are held despite the evidence, not

because of it– Creationism is arrogant

• All scientists are wrong, regardless of affiliation, intelligence etc.• Trivial flaws have been overlooked by everyone except creationists

– Don’t waste your time in debates– Science provides a beautiful, optimistic world view

• Curing diseases• Enhanced longevity• Lives of ease and comfort• All the things that creationists falsely claim from the Bible

– Watch this channel for future educational materials

Documents

Science and Creationism 25. Miscellaneous © Colin Frayn, 2008-2011