The science of George McCready Price
A- In 1900's Mendelian genetics overthrew Lamarckian inheritance
1- Explained how variation persistedC- Thought geological inversions in American west were only in geologists' minds
2- Explained why blending didn't eliminate characteristics
3- Couldn't explain how variation arose until the new synthesis in �30s
B- Price assumed Earth's age, relied on dubious geology
1- Strata were dated by fossils which were in turn dated by strata (circular reasoning)D- Now have reliable radiometric dating - K-Ar, Rb-Sr, U-Pb
2- Concluded that any stratum could overlie any other, hence geological ages invalid (modern critique)
3- Thought this an important insight and tried, unsuccessfully, to convince other geologists
4- If ages were incorrect then flood geology was OK
E- Even then inversion was a testable hypothesis
1- Sediments deposit in polar fashion (large grains on bottom of varve)F- Now know that tectonic plates created folds, inversions
2- Price was not experimental scientist
G- Price's argument long discredited but still cited by creationists
H- Price considered theory of evolution to be on its last legs
I- Creationists still cite this uncritically.
