The topic that I chose to research was “Geology: Understanding of Fossils.” As I was researching this topic, I ran across a small paragraph that talked about one of the early scientists named Nicholas Steno. “In the 17th century, Nicholas Steno shook the world of science, noting the similarity between shark teeth and the rocks commonly known as ‘tongue stones’. This was our first understanding that fossils were a record of past life.”(1) Another scientist by the name of Robert Hooke took Steno’s research and took it further. “Hooke went further by discussing the extinction and transmutation of species and the idea that fossils might provide a key to the chronology of natural events. On the origin of mountains, instead of limiting himself
The paper talked about the new mud glyph cave art site the was discovered in northern Alabama. It is believe that the artifacts and the images that is located in the cave linked back to the Early and Middle Woodland periods. The cave was named “19th Unnamed Cave” by a naming system that was used be University of Tennessee. Other main points in this paper include the 19th Unnamed Cave, the mud glyph art that it contains, and how the mud glyph contributes to the understanding of mud glyph assemblage preservation, and it helps illuminates the chronological placement of the art form. The cave is located in northern Alabama with a cave mouth of 25 m in diameter and with more than 5 km of underground passageways. The article hypothesized that since the entrance of the cave had some fluvial action, there would no archaeological material that would have been preserved.
In the year 2002 a bizarre looking theropod dinosaur fossil was found in China (Xu). It challenges the way researchers have been thinking of theropods and other dinosaurs for a long time. In the Sahara desert, the oldest hominid skull in the world was found that same year. These are just two of many discoveries that have challenged the way we perceive the ancient world.
While discussing the unknown frontier that scientists must endure, Barry describes a “wilderness region” that is unfamiliar and new. He continues to say that scientists venture “through the looking glass” into a new frontier. These devices help to create familiar ideas that the audience will understand in an unfamiliar situation. A simile used to compare research to a “crystal” by explaining that “probing” was to “ precipitate an order out of chaos,” much like a crystalline structure forms an ordered structure. Finally, Berry implements a metaphor in order to describe what follows a discovery. He describes “a flood of colleagues” that “ pave roads over the path laid.” This metaphor describes how science continuously changes, one discovery after another while ultimately communicating the patience and curiosity a scientist must have. The culmination of these figurative devices teach a new way of an audience that is unfamiliar with the author's theme.
Charles Lyell was a British lawyer and one the smartest geologist known in his time. He was known as the author of the Principles of Geology, which helped popularize the theories and concepts of uniformitarianism. The Principles of Geology was the first book written by Lyell and explained the changes of the earth’s surface. He used the research and information in the book as his proof to determine that the earth was over 6,000 years old. The central argument in his book was “the present is the key to the past”, this meant that to find out what happened in the past you had to look at what was happening now. It explained that changes which happened in the past, were happening in the present, and will happen in the future. Lyell’s book was later published into three volumes from 1830-1833. After the publication, it gave him credentials as an important geological theorist. His book later influenced a young Charles Darwin. Lyell’s influential book led Darwin to follow his principles and they later became friends. Darwin began to explore the changes that happen on the earth and develop his theories of evolution, though Charles did not completely endorse Darwin’s theory of evolution. Lyell was a devout Christian and Darwin’s theory of evolution did not line up with his Lyell’s beliefs with natural selection. Darwin continued his research and beliefs of his own and became a scientist working with his theories of evolution.
This discussion focuses on two issues: the relationship between evidence and hypotheses; and, the role of "contextual" values in inquiry. Longino contrasts contextual values with constitutive values. The latter, the "values generated from an understanding of the goals of scientific inquiry," "are the source of the rules determining what constitutes acceptable scientific practice or scientific method" (L1990, 4). That these values influence inquiry is not a problem. But the former, "personal, social, and cultural values," are thought to threaten the integrity of scientific inquiry (L1990, 4-5).
Having loved to study rock fragments under her microscope as a child, Tarbell especially enjoyed showing her students the scientific process in lab work. From science, she learned the importance of gathering sound facts before drawing conclusions.
They are many ways that evolutionists use to describe the theory of evolution. One of those many ways is the fossil record. The fossil record is fossil record, history of life as documented by fossils, the remains or imprints of the organisms from earlier geological periods preserved in sedimentary rock.1
Shubin, N.H., & Marshall, C.R. 2000. Fossils, genes and the origin of novelty. Paleobiology, 26(4): 324-340.
...s from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic periods show proof of how animals have gone through evolution and why certain fossils look very similar. The Law of Original Horizontality and the Law of Superposition both express true when looking at modern rock layers today. The Law of Original Horizontality happens when sediments are constantly deposited over old layers of rock forming new layers over millions of years, while the Law of Superposition is the law that older rock layers lie beneath the newer layers. Also, Pangea and Panthalassa are now the seven continents and four oceans of the world today as a result of Continental Drift. All things considered, Rock layers are therefore evidence of Evolution for, rock layers holds proof of evolving animals seen through fossils, the plates in the earth separated Pangea, and the relation of evolution and rock layers.
“Most living organisms fossilize after death, so fossils in exemplary condition are easily found all over the world.” This statement does not make much sense because; it says that these fossils are found all over the world which is not the case. If the fossils were found all over the world then we would have the answer to evolution and the beliefs behind it would not exist. Shubin would not have traveled to the artic if this statement was true because fossils are not found in perfect condition all the time. An example is when Shubin was talking about Artic temperature changes “crumbles the surface rocks and fossils” (20). The volcano activity would have ruined the fossils and made them incapable of getting to. Either way the statement
Did you know, in the state of Oklahoma it is against the law to either hunt or catch whales? Sounds sort of ridiculous when you think logically about it, but according to paleontologists it isn’t that far fetched. Over 65 million years ago Kansas, including the whole Midwest Region of North America from the Arctic Circle to the Gulf of Mexico, was covered by the Sea. Due to the continental uplifts of the mountain ranges in North America during the Pangaea stage, the once shallow sea of Kansas became shut off from the sea-water flow and dried out to what we know it as today. The biome of Kansas over the last 65 million years has become extremely dry and flat, which would account for a once shallow inland sea. For example; Salt Lake City was once in the mist of a glacier that filled the inside “hole” of the City, causing the surface of it to be extremely flat excluding the surrounding mountains.
For instance, the whale, the biggest mammal that lives in the water, was found to have had legs and used to dwell on land millions of years ago. While in Pakistan, Phil Gingrich, a geologist and paleontologist, came across a fossil that resembled that of a wolf but had a “bump” on the back of the skull which was found to part of an inner ear,
The claim is true but it has its exceptions,since both areas of knowledge contribute to understand the past in order to create the future ; evidence is the essence of both fields. History has clearly developed into an area of monumental importance. History is merely a compilation of evidence left. Historians beat history into something acceptable from mainstream values. This degradation of knowledge is also apparent in both human and natural sciences. This quote is examined and it is evident that both history and science change, first distorting the facts in order to shape it into the conventional opinion, and slowly change as society is changing. It is important to keep in mind that there are at the very least grains of truth in almost every historical account or scientific breakthrough.
At the very dawning of the science of historical geology, James Hutton developed views on the earth’s geologic processes and ow they affect the planet unlike any other scientist before him. His idea that the planet’s processes revolved in a cyclic fashion were the cornerstone of uniformitarianism. Although he did not coin the phrase himself, an honor bestowed upon William Whewell, he did form the basic idea that the history of the earth can be explained by what is happening now.
In conclusion, after having completed a thorough investigation of the diverse perspectives for both history and natural sciences, I came up with a moderate understanding of the role of revisionism and review on our knowledge. Since our historical knowledge is influenced by bias and is limited to the extent of our tools to investigate the present traces of past, modification is inevitable. Yet, as humans carry perceptual and reasonable stability, certain components of our knowledge don’t need reassessment. Knowledge from different areas may not always be discarded or modified in the same way as well. New scientific knowledge inclines either to bring further justification to its ancestors’ claim or trash it completely. Because of these, knowledge may bot only be discarded but rather can be modified, added on to or corrected.