Mark I. Vuletic

Last updated 21 March 2008

Analysis

Normal geological processes in certain regions are able to thrust older layers on top of younger layers in certain regions. These processes leave discernible effects which geologists can detect. Creationists seek to repudiate overthrusting by hiding the evidence for it from their audiences (Eldredge 1982:105-108).

Paleontologist Niles Eldredge responds to the charge that overthrusting is an ad hoc hypothesis designed to save the "evolutionary" geological column:

Do paleontologists really invoke overthrusting just to save their story? Are there no independent ways to demonstrate that massive dislocation of strata has occurred? Well, there are — the main one being that, along all faults, in places where both sides of the rocks are exposed, there is (naturally enough) a zone of pulverized rock caused by the scraping of the two masses against each other. In addition, slickensides, essentially scars of the movement, are typically seen on the faces of the rocks on both sides of the fault. (Eldredge 2000:111)

References

Eldredge N. 1982. The Monkey Business: A Scientist Looks at Creationism. New York: Washington Square Press.

Eldredge N. 2000. The Triumph of Evolution: and the Failure of Creationism. New York: W. H. Freeman.