Bert wrote:
>So, tell me what I am to look for to differentiate between your fully formed
>universe and the universe of the progressive creationist.
I know this question was for Howard, but I will put in my two cents.
I depends completely on how that "progressive creationist" view is
articulated. If such a view argues for major interventions that would be
identifiable as significant breaks or gaps in the history of life, then the
discontinuities predicted are potentially testable. As I stated
previously, to have any scientific meaning, such proposals would have to be
specific in identifying the exact position and character of the gap in
question. The problem here is that any view supported by negative evidence
is weak, and subject to subsequent discoveries (the "God of the Gaps"
dilema). An acceptance of a creation formational integrity view would
argue that scientists' pursuit of filling those gaps will be ultimately
fruitful.
However, many of the "progressive creationist" views are articulated in
such a way that they would be indistinguishable from one that proposes
unbroken chains of cause-and-effect. That is again why the theological
issues are so important.
Keith
Keith B. Miller
Department of Geology
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
kbmill@ksu.edu
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~kbmill/
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