Ross, H. More Than a Theory, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI. 2009
Chap. 1 Is it Science? p13 Patrick Henry College was denied accreditation because of its stance on young earth creationism. The auditors claimed it was not science.p 15 Court rulings on creation are in Chap. 15. Ross talks of offering a testable model of creation. Such a model should be detailed and testable and falsifiable. Scientific findings should confirm it. Model predictions should come true. P 16 There is no evidence that the earth is not billions of yrs old? P 17 He favors abandoning the bottom up (Bible up approach), and using the top down (science to creation approach).p 19 Ross defines science as “the pursuit of systematized knowledge and understanding about the way the universe, with its governing laws and all it contains operates” Webster encyclopedia. P18 E. Scott defines it narrowly to attempts to explain the natural world by only natural processes, and not supernatural ones. This assumes the atheistic position a priori. This guts science of historical and theoretical positions unless they use the naturalistic approach. He criticizes the young earth creation model as being rooted in religious dogma, and having no flexibility to adapt and self correct to the discoveries of science. p20 He cites many biblical references to creation on p61. He stress that his model is ongoing in development and modification and refinement.
Chap. 2 Different models.p25-33 Some scientists are highly biased against creationism- they think of mainly young earth creation. Those that support creation like Ben Stein in his movie, No Intelligence Allowed question the scientists’ view of naturalism and no God. The intelligent design ID movement does not give any time line or order to creation and mainly notes flaws in evolution. As such it does not give a testable theory answering when, what and how questions. Young Earth Creation-YEC: Neanderthals are descendants of Adam and Eve. Theistic Evol: most say God only intervened once at the creation of the universe or only a few times. Prog. and Evol. Creation: god frequently intervened. Framework theorists offer no time line or order. Concordists: Accept the record of nature and science as a second book of God’s revelation. In this findings of science appear primary and change our interpretation of the Bible, so both science and the Bible fit.
Chap. 3 Diff. Strategies p.35 Public opinion surveys: Amer. Adults 1994-2005 Believe that humans evolved form earlier species changed form 44 to 38%. 74% Believe in God. For scientists in 1996 only 40 % believed in God. For elite scientists- members of NAS only 7% believed in God in 1998. p 38 Legal cases have ruled against YEC and ID because it lacks scientific integrety.p39 Some advocate that science and religion are separate and non overlapping realms. However naturalism which acknowledges no transcendent absolutes, has no ground for the laws of logic, or mathematics and reason. The bible states that God upholds the laws Jer. 33:25 Christianity upholds the ethics and values crucial to scientific endeavor. P45 Scientists may accuse believers as filling the gaps in missing links with God while they fill them with naturalistic assumptions. Neither is correct. We should base models only on what is known not the unknown. In the scientific method hypothesizes are tested and refined or rejected. See app. A, T Torrance’s book Theology in Reconstruction describes how Christian theology played a crucial role in the scientific method.
Chap. 4 An objective testing method. P49 In the scientific method emotional commitment to a certain model should be avoided as should bias and presuppositions. Steps in scientific method: p50 Models that have the greatest explanatory and predictive power survive and are refined. Example: Newtonian physics and cosmology was later changed by Einstein’s theories. The big bang model has been refined to the current hot big bang model with exotic mater and energy.p55 The model now argues for Gods fine tuning and a beginning to time. Trickle down effect form scientists to general population to teaching children.p 57 Criteria for a good model. Hubble ultra deep field shows Galaxies farther away are closer together. pg 56
Chap. 5 RTB Model: Ross dates Adam and Eve at 50,000 yrs based on the Bering and Hecate Straits.p59 Bible used as generally literal and historical, with many scriptures for creation. P 60-61 Findings form nature listed on p.62-66 Principles: simplicity, the big picture, biblical integrity, scientific integrity, humility, continual improvement, diligence and creativity in generating predictions- so the model can be tested. P67 They try to state all their assumptions and answer what, when, where, how and why questions and be open to responses and crtiques.p68
Chap. 6 Biblical structure in RTB model. P71 4 Key points: Dual revelation of nature and Bible, Creation purpose, Creation chronology- and Gods transcendence, Detectability of the divine. P72 Revelation: God does not lie in word or deed. The Bible is free of contradictions. Science is not the same as nature; men’s opinions influence science. Likewise, theology is not the same as the word of God. Purpose:p.74 Express His attributes of Glory, power, wisdom and love; provide a suitable habitat for humanity; supply physical resources for the rapid development of civilization and technology; relate to humans, revealing his glory, and the wonders and weaknesses of our nature; supply optimal viewing conditions for humans to discover, and to reason. Chronology: p-75 2Titus 1:9 “God has called us and had a plan before the beginning of time.” Job 38:4 Angels witnessed God laying the foundation of the earth. The present creation is intended to prepare us for the new creation. P75 The new creation will be governed by different laws and dimensions. God transformed the solar system and earth through 6 stages. He successively layered plant and animal life. P76 see detail. God allow Lucifer to tempt Eve and Adam. Detectability: Transcendent miracles: outside of laws and physics(creation of space and time, and of man’s spiritual nature); Transformational miracles: refashioning aspects of creation within natural laws; Sustaining miracles: maintain balance, The last 2 are more frequent.
Some things we should find in the bible and nature: 1. sustaining physical laws and constants, 2. seemingly imperfect designs, 3. the origin, dimensions, and structure of the universe, 4.progression form simple to complex, 5. interruptions to life, 6. re-creations of life, 7. existence of common designs.
1,2. Thus we expect science to find the physical laws we observe to extend throughout space and time, including the 2nd law of thermodynamics. He also asserts that metabolism of food and Adam’s work preceded the fall. In Rom. 8:20 he noted: For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one (God) who subjected it, in hope 21 that[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. Ross states that the creation was very good for its intended purpose (not perfect with no capacity for errors, sin or decay, or storms). Its intended purpose was to let decay and diseases create a desire for healing and for the afterlife and for solutions by and through fellowship with God. A world with no problems, or challenges would not bring about the best in man. Man turns to God most when he faces problems and disasters beyond his control. Thus in the science of genetics we see mutations accumulating with time. In Gen 6:3 we see God decreasing life spans to limit evil. The progression of learning is aided by age, but evil may persist. When there are many written records and schools, learning can progress faster, as is true now. God wants us to learn of his majesty through discovery, and of good versus evil, to highlight the ultimate good. If there were no evil and only good, there would be no scale of evil to good. God also wants us to learn of his loving and healing side by prayer to him for miracles. Adam’s fall and the flood and shortening of life spans and the progression of learning may have all been in God’s plan. Just as the universe is slowly running down physically, so is man. Ultimately there will be a new heaven and creation and his chosen ones praising him forever. God also has stated his plan that man should spread out an inhabit most of the earth and that has happened.(Gen 9:7, 11:9) Once the population becomes so large and the resources so strained, or the sin and devastation so great, it may again be in God’s plan to end the earthly creation, as was done during the flood, but this time by fire. It is also in God’s plan that the gospel message be spread to the ends of the earth.(Mat. 28:19; 24:14, Acts 1:8) With the internet and mass media this is becoming more possible, except for remote tribes and very low standard of living areas.
- The origin and structure of the universe: The bible gives and outline of this.p.81 Job 38-40 tells much of creation and some of its purposes. Ross lists the biblical back up:1 The universe had a beginning at this was the start of space and time. 2. It was not made form visible material. 3 It has been constantly expanding, 4. It is guided for life, 5. The spreading of the universe resembles that of a tent.(Ps.104:2,Isa. 40:22), 6. It has fixed laws (Jer.33:25, Rom. 8:20-22), 7. The universe has an ending in finite time; then it will roll up like a school and vanish in a burst of heat.
Mica 6:2“Hear, you mountains, the LORD’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
Hab. 3:6He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed, but he marches on forever. Job 38:7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels[a] shouted for joy? Isa. 40:22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. Ps. 18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under his feet.
5,6,7. Interruptions to life: Ps.104:27-30 These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. Job 38:36 Who put wisdom in the heart or gave the mind understanding? Rev. 21-22 talks of the new creation.
Other RTB assumptions of the creation are given: p.90.
Chap.7 Putting RTB’s model to the Test p93 some features of the RTB model p96, There was a brief stretching of the universe fabric at greater than the speed of light during an fraction of the 1st second. It is reasonable that an agent outside the universe brought it and space and time into existence.p 97 Many lines of evidence show the universe was created 13.73 billion yrs ago. The string theory unites equations of physics, also using extremal black holes, and 10 dimensions. P 100 The stretching out of the heavens, as in the bible, is well documented. The galaxies do not stretch as much however.p103 Distant clocks run slower. In milky way supernovas take about 7 mo. to go from min. to max. brightness, while gamma ray burst take about 15 sec. The young earth models (Humphrey) predicts 18-25 sec. for supernova brightness change.p105 For stars to form, the universe had to expand at a very precise rate and density (one part in 1060). Dark energy can be viewed as the stretching factor.p106 It appears that mater and energy resides on a cosmic surface, that is almost flat. The baryon #(the density of protons and neutrons) and the total cosmic mass are also very fined tuned for the universe to form with about 10 billion trillion stars. P108 Supernovas (type I,II) had to explode near or sun at just the right distance and time to provide the heavy metal atoms for our planet. Uranium and Thorium abundances peaked about 8 million yrs ago, and certain isotopes peaked about 4.6 million yrs ago at the time of earth’s formation. P111 RTB noted 140 characteristics of the universe and laws that are finely tuned for life (see Ap.B). Also there are about 900 characteristics of the Milky way galaxy and the solar system that are finely tuned for life. The probability that a planet could be this finely tuned is 1 in 101000.
The RTB model predicts the evidences for fine tuning will increase in time. The time was great for necessary preparation of the universe and earth for man’s life, while his possible span of life is very small in time. This is called the anthropic inequality. Need 4.5 billion yrs. for earth’s biomass formation; the sun is brightening, the earth’s rotation is slowing. P112 The cosmic background radiation temperature increases slightly with distance away 2.7-14 (now to 11 billion yrs). As the universe ages, dark energy causes it to expand more rapidly; it may eventually exceed the speed of light. We are at a perfect place in the universe for viewing.p118
Chap. 8 RTB Model for Galaxies, stars and planets: p121 It is difficult to find duplicates of the Milky way galaxy, the sun, the 4 gas giants(Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune), and the earth. They are very unique. There are some near solar twins but not with the gas giants. The gas giants intercept asteroids and comments and shield the earth. The shape of the Milky Way spiral is very symmetrical and free of spurs and feather type objects. The solar system is far out in the Milky Way in a unique habitable zone where there is an abundance of heavy metals.p130 This is very unlikely to be found in other galaxies.
Chap. 9. RTB Model for Life’s beginnings p 133 Also see Origins of Life. The earth’s atmosphere is just right for life with the right gases and water vapor. Planet atm. are formed by gravity of the planet and the pull away by the star. The earth would naturally form an atm. too heavy for life, so it is assumed that a collision with another planet blew most of its atm. It is modeled that a Mar’s sized planet collided with earth at a 45% angle and also increased the iron in the earth’s core and also formed our moon. P135 An iron core and a good magnetic field is needed to shield life from cosmic rays. The iron also promoted ocean life. The earth’s interior also has an abundance of radioisotopes that create heat for tectonic activity. The moon is also necessary for life and stabilizes the earth’s tilt and rotation speed. P137 The earth was bombarded by asteroids and comets from its formation 4.47 billion yrs ago until a heavy time at 3.9 billion yrs. Saturn and Jupiter has a 1.2 resonance that aided this. This removed all but 1% of the asteroid-comets in the Kuiper belt that moved out beyond Neptune’s orbit. Wikipedia: “The asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter, is similar to the terrestrial planets as it is composed mainly of rock and metal. Beyond Neptune’s orbit lie trans-Neptunian objects composed mostly of ices such as water, ammonia and methane. Within these two regions, five individual objects, Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris, are recognized to be large enough to have been rounded by their own gravity, and are thus termed dwarf planets.[e] In addition to thousands of small bodies[e] ”. The Kuiper belt, the region’s first formation, is a great ring of debris similar to the asteroid belt, but composed mainly of ice.[64] It extends between 30 and 50 AU from the Sun. Though it contains at least three dwarf planets, it is composed mainly of small Solar System bodies. However, many of the largest Kuiper belt objects, such as Quaoar, Varuna, and Orcus, may be reclassified as dwarf planets. There are estimated to be over 100,000 Kuiper belt objects with a diameter greater than 50 km, but the total mass of the Kuiper belt is thought to be only a tenth or even a hundredth the mass of the Earth.” This is located outside of Neptune. In 1984, Physicist Richard A. Muller postulated that the Sun has a heretofore undetected companion, either a brown dwarf star, a dim red dwarf star or a gaseous giant planet, in an elliptical orbit within the Oort cloud. This object, known as Nemesis, is hypothesized to pass through a portion of the Oort cloud approximately every 26 million years, bombarding the inner Solar System with comets.
Ross claims that C 13-12 ratios and N 14-15 ratios indicate old carbonaceous material. P139 Some amino acids have been found in meteorites but they may be from contamination with the earth. Nucleotides have not been found.p 140 Oxygen and UV radiation can hinder early life forms. R &L handedness of sugars and amino acids and DNA is a problem. Circular polarized UV light has formed some excess L handed ones. This pure light is not found in nature. From the collision earth fragments and some life may have been sent to other planets.p 145 He says Zircon crystals in W. Australia point to early life 4.25 billion yrs ago.p146 and an ocean.
Chap. 10 RTB Model Life’s History p.149-50 There is evidence for multiple distinct complex unicellular life forms. Even simple parasites can’t survive without 250 functioning genes. Photosynthetic bacteria require 1700 gene products. P152 The earth was salted with many heavy elements, traces of with are needed for life but toxic when soluble or in high amounts. Sulfate reducing bacteria precipitated these metal in sulfate ore deposits ( Zn, Fe,Mg,Pb). Cryptogamic colonies grew early. Limited erosion, cooled the environment and oxygenated the atm. Cryptogamia. This included all plants with concealed reproductive organs. He divided the Cryptogamia into four orders: Algae, Musci (bryophytes), Filices (ferns), and Fungi.[2] This lead to vascular plants 2-3 billion yrs ago. P153 Plate tectonics on p. 154-5. As plates move water reacts with them to form hydrated minerals and a talc layer. P155-6 Ross tells of a slow build up of the continents. A graph of the sun’s luminosity is given and recently it is brightening due to helium formation in the core that increases the cores density and temperature about 15% over several billion yrs.p157 Today even a 1% change in luminosity could be catastrophic. Thus Ross says that the greenhouse gases when dense early on and decreased over more recent times. The gases could have built up due to volcanoes. Silicates react with C02 to form silicon dioxide (sand) which when buried removes C02, as does burial of organic matter. Photosynthetic plants and bacteria aided greenhouse gas removal and conversion to organic matter which when buried form biodeposits.p159 photosynthetic bacteria in the oceans played a major role in increasing the earth oxygen level form very low to about 20%. Mineral oxides formed and were buried and recirculated by erosion, volcanism and plate tectonics. This is projected to have occurred over 4 billion yrs.p161 The early oceans was high in sulfides and sponges and jellyfish thrived(the Avalon explosion). As oxygen increased the Cambrian explosion of many fauna occurred; the chordates are found at the base of the Cambrian. Sedimentation and plate tectonics buried a large amount of organic material. Heat, pressure and time convert this into Kerogen(high molecular weight tars) that convert to petroleum and then to methane gas. P163 This was timed for human use; in too short of time they would not have formed and in too long of time they would have leaked out. Due to the high amount of negative and neutral mutations, mutations cannot account for new species. Environmental stress over long periods would have eliminated many species. There appears to be some viral and bacterial evolution but not much in ants or termites although they are very prolific. Larger animals have long generation times and offer no clear path for evolution. Design convergences and similar structures in widely differing species are easy to explain form a designers common design, are difficult to explain form evolution. For example a sandlance fish and a chameleon reptile have similar eyes but are form widely different evolutionary trees. There are literally 100’s of these design convergences. An experiment a Michigan State Univ. on E. coli bacteria over 20 yrs. demonstrated that they did develop citrate feeding ability. This does not appear to be a major upward in complexity change however. They lost the ability to fed on glucose and may have already had some genes relating to cirtate.p169
Chap. 11 RTB Model and Advanced Life. P.173 Three forms of life: Basic, Soulish (mind, will and emotions) and Human with spirit. Vascular plants helped create soil 350 million yrs ago. Seed plants 140 million yrs ago and some animals. Plants make much more food that needed for seed reproduction and were prepared for animals and man. p175 The Hebrew word nepesh was used for soulish animals. A study of 4000 land animals of varying sizes indicated that the extinction risk increases markedly with size and weight, especially above 3 kilograms. Because of their slower generation rates they are much less likely to have evolved markedly. Carnivores, though difficult to tame can make good household pets. Unlike herbivores, they don’t need to spend long hours eating and digesting. Herbivores sustain our agricultural enterprises and control plant populations. Donkeys, horses and zebras are similar and can be crossbred. They differ in soulish characteristics. Horses can form strong emotional bonds with man and will charge into battle with their masters. The donkey hates danger however. Zebras are difficult to tame and ride.
Chap. 12. RTB Model and Humans.p.181 RTB’s model states that humans (Homo sapiens) and other hominds(bipedal primates) are distinctly different. RTB’s model: Adam and Eve were the first humans about 50,000 yrs ago. The flood of Noah destroyed all humans and the soulish creatures associated with them, except those on the ark. The probability of humans evolving from a single cell is extremely remote. The Neanderthals were not humans and markedly different in DNA. Homo erectus date back to .5-1.8 million yrs. and are different than Neanderthals or humans.p185 Humans are similar to chimps. 98% similarity is cited, but 85-90% is correct. There is marked dissimilarity in the brain area. Ross theorizes that hominids were created in the Africa area and the soulish creatures evolved ways to avoid hunting and death so that they could survive better with humans. Humans were more destructive of these creatures. Of the 15-20,000 bird only 9000 remain; of the 8000 animals only 4000 remain.p189 on the mother’s side mtDNA date is back calculated to about 50,000 yrs although some estimates are as long as 170,000 yrs. Man is dated by Y chromosome at 42-60,000 yrs.p188 A quantum leap in jewelry and tools also occurred about 40-50,000 yrs ago. He carbon dates the Bering land bridge as 11,000 yrs and he says this is the time of Peleg. Humans are overqualified for life (different than apes) in several areas: Hand dexterity, intellectual capacity(35% of blood flow to the brain); they were pre-equipped for a high tech. environment. Current C02 385ppm, it was 284 ppm in 1832. If it goes below 175ppm photosynthesis will stop. Wikipedia noted Y-chromosomal Adam (Y-MRCA) is the theoretical most recent common ancestor (MRCA) from whom all living people are descended patrilineally (tracing back along the paternal lines of their family tree only). Y-chromosomal Adam probably lived between 90,000 and 60,000 years ago in the African continent. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y-chromosomal_Adam
Chap. 13 The Why Question and Misc. Junk: Because of evolutionary teachings Dr’s. previously removed the appendix , tonsils and adenoids as non useful organs. They are now know to play essential roles. P197-203 The tailbone is also now know to be useful and not left over. Many plants vastly over produce what they need to scurvies. Herbivores eat the plants and carnivores eat the herbivores. This keep the population in balance. Carnivores also eat the weak and sick first. P198 Many parasites perform useful , purposes as do detritivores, that clean up litter. In plants, and animals about 5-20% of the DNA codes are for making proteins, but for man it is only about 3%. The remainder has been referred to as junk DNA. P201 The more advanced the species the more the so called junk. Recently it has been found that much of the so called junk serves important purposes: Pseudogenes protect the protein codes form breakdown and have very serious bad effects on the organism if removed.p.202 Sines, Lines, LTR’s and Endogenous retroviruses also have essential functions. The bad sesing argument by Gould of the Panda’s thumbs has been strongly refuted and the thumb has been shown top provide great dexterity to the Panda. Hurricanes and to a lesser extent tornadoes, contribute to rainfall. Hurricanes lift considerable salt water and nuclei for rain cloud formations. Earthquakes and volcanoes play a part in plant tectonics and recycling minerals and chemicals to the surface. The ices age and glaceries played a role in moving ore deposits and in forming harbors, valleys and lakes. Wildfires play an important role in renewing forests and topsoil. Charcoal is added for the ashes. It is good to have fires every 20-100 yrs.p207 The universe is highly fined tuned for later life on earth and for our observation of the universe. Questions p.208
Chap 14. Atheist models:p209 The theorems of General relativity are well proven and establish the beginning of space and time along with the bib big theory. Thus there had to be and outside causal agent.p211 Stenger in the Failed hypothesis and Prigogine in Order out of Chaos argues that there is natural self organization and use snowflakes as an example. A pattern is generated here but not complex information or specified purpose. To get out of the obvious fine tuning indications of the universe, some ague for multi universes, and really mean infinite universes, then our universe can occur by chance and other ones are different. However anything less than infinity does not come close to solving the problem of almost infinite fine tuning.p214 The design appears on both big and very small scales. Ross notes that there is likely more the universe than what we can see now, like heaven and other dimensions. The gamblers fallacy: If a coin is tossed 100,00 times and always come up heads, the logical conclusion is that the coin is 2 headed or weighted or a trick coin. The conclusion is not that this is just luck; on a subsequent toss of the same coin one would choose heads again, because there must be some logical reason why it is always coming up the same. Only a non rational conclusion that the coin could not be manufactured to always come up heads provides a way out. We can only see and observe one universe, not many; the multi universe theory is pure speculation.
Chap. 15. Constitution and legal tests:p219 there have been 4 first amendment court cases: Epperson:1968, Mclean 1981, Aguillard 1983 and Edwards 1987. Ross argues that early fathers of the constitution weren’t against religion, just against promoting one narrow view of religion. P222 The 4 cases argued for teachers to present a young earth creation view along with the naturalistic view(thus 2 views). Ross notes that they 4 cases all lost when presenting the young earth creation view, where little evidence of a young earth was presented, but considerable evidence of and old earth was presented. At some of the later cases, ministers actually argued for an old earth creation view, and that the young earth view was to narrow, linking it to a small segment of Christianity. Ross theorizes that the Judges weren’t against Christianity and the idea of God creating, but against promoting a narrow view of it.p221-6 The Jewish, Christian and Islamic beliefs all supports God’s creation. The Hindu/Buddhist/New Age views all support a universe cycling, with multiple beginnings and endings.p229
Chap.16. Model Prediction Tests:p231 Models and predictions must be detailed, distinctive and comprehensive to be of any use. For example, predicting micro evolution is not distinctive, as every one believes in that. Ross only find 4 models to fit these criteria: 1. Naturalistic evolution, 2. young earth creation YEC, 3. theistic evolution, and 4. RTB. A possible variation addition to 1 is panspermia (aliens planted life on earth). Ross humbly admits he does not know these entire models assumptions well and welcomes corrections and additions.p.234 RTB has created an ongoing electronic appendix for this purpose: www.reasons.org/resources/predictions The predictions are organized into 3 categories: Simple sciences, complex sciences, and social sciences. Some differences in the models are noted below: For the Big Bang: RTB’s model predicts that the hot big bang will be confirmed by further discoveries and that the universe had a beginning of space and time, expanded and is now cooling. The bang was guided by God and much fine tuning and design of for life is evident. The naturalistic model predicts that the universe did not have an actual beginning and was self caused and does not show fine tuning. The Theistic model predicts that big bang model and its resulting physics will explain the universe’s creation. YEC model notes the big bang will prove untrue, and the billions of yrs. cosmic age indicators are untrue as the creation was recent and some physical laws were not constant. Relative to special location models note as follows: RTB notes the earth resides in an ideal location in the cosmos for life and the Milky way resides on the surface of the universe not in the center.? Naturalistic model will show the earth’s unremarkable location both for habitability and location. Life will be found on other planets and galaxies. Theistic model is similar to RTB, except the bang is more goverened by physics. YEC model notes the Milky Way will be found at near the center of the universe with special design for life.p237
For Plate Tectonics and Flood: RTB: evidence will show long lasting stable fine tuned tectonics over millions of yrs. The flood of Noah destroyed all humankind and soulish creatures but was local. Naturalistic: The long lasting tectonics is not fine tuned and is common to other planets as is the atmosphere. The flood of Noah is mythical and not global. Theistic: tectonics similar to RTB but not fine tuned by God. YEC: all tectonics occurred in the past 10,000 yrs. and was intense during the flood which was global and during the creation week. Also some the physical laws were altered during the flood.p238
Hominids and Humanity: RTB: Humans are biological distinct from any hominid species, and not descended from them. The first humans were from Adam and Eve about 50,000 yrs ago. Naturalistic: Man descended from hominids and from apes over millions of yrs. Theistic: Man descended from prior hominids but this was guided by God with some intervention. YEC: Man is distinctly different from Hominids but the same as Neanderthals and they and they were all created in the last 10,000 yrs. P239
Chap. 17 Scoring the Models.p241 Evidence for fine tuning has increased from 2006-9 from 236 parameters to 824 from RTB literature searches. RTB scores for predictions are much higher than any other model for the simple and complex sciences.p244.
Chap. 18 p247 Some models or beliefs limit progress and open mindedness: YEC and naturalism; The junk DNA was not reviewed for 30 yrs because of prior ideas that it was left over junk form evolution. Countries in Asia are producing many more scientist that the US. Passion is lost with naturalism.p253