Omphalos hypothesis
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| − | The '''omphalos hypothesis''' | + | The '''omphalos hypothesis''' asserts that the universe was created to appear very, very old, despite being created not that long ago. The hypothesis was the idea of nineteenth-century naturalist Philip Henry Gosse. The name comes from the mid-nineteenth-century [[Christian]] belief that [[Adam]] had a navel ("''omphalos''" is [[Greek]] for "navel"). So, the hypothesis stated that the [[Earth]] appeared old although it was not just as Adam had a navel from a gestation he never experienced. Most modern [[YEC]]s no longer believe that Adam had a navel.{{fact}} |
| − | + | The hypothesis was lauded by [[Martin Gardner]] for being 100% compatible with science.<ref>pages 125-127 of the second paperback edition of Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science</ref> However, like many forms of [[creationism]], it lacks [[falsifiability]] and therefore not a valid scientific theory. The hypothesis attempts to reconcile [[faith]] (belief in the non-falsifiable) and [[science]] ([[Methodological naturalism|observations of the natural world]]) through the use of [[solipsism]]. | |
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| − | + | St. Paul says (Romans 1:20) that the nature of God can be known from the things that he created.<ref>'''Romans 1:20''' ''For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse''</ref> So if the Omphalos Hypothesis is correct, and the young universe only appears to be old, then Paul is saying that God is a deceiver. | |
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==Omphalos hypothesis and ''creatio ex nihilo''== | ==Omphalos hypothesis and ''creatio ex nihilo''== | ||
| − | The Omphalos hypothesis deals with the creation myth in the | + | The Omphalos hypothesis deals with the creation myth in the Abrahamic religions. However the same argument can be applied to any ''creatio ex nihilo''. Wikipedia lists at least eight such creation myths besides the story accounted in ''Genesis'': |
*[[wp:Ancient Egyptian creation myths|Ancient Egyptian creation myths]] | *[[wp:Ancient Egyptian creation myths|Ancient Egyptian creation myths]] | ||
*[[wp:Islamic mythology#Islamic creation belief|Islamic creation myth]] | *[[wp:Islamic mythology#Islamic creation belief|Islamic creation myth]] | ||
Revision as of 15:12, 21 June 2011
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The omphalos hypothesis asserts that the universe was created to appear very, very old, despite being created not that long ago. The hypothesis was the idea of nineteenth-century naturalist Philip Henry Gosse. The name comes from the mid-nineteenth-century Christian belief that Adam had a navel ("omphalos" is Greek for "navel"). So, the hypothesis stated that the Earth appeared old although it was not just as Adam had a navel from a gestation he never experienced. Most modern YECs no longer believe that Adam had a navel.[citation needed]
The hypothesis was lauded by Martin Gardner for being 100% compatible with science.[1] However, like many forms of creationism, it lacks falsifiability and therefore not a valid scientific theory. The hypothesis attempts to reconcile faith (belief in the non-falsifiable) and science (observations of the natural world) through the use of solipsism.
St. Paul says (Romans 1:20) that the nature of God can be known from the things that he created.[2] So if the Omphalos Hypothesis is correct, and the young universe only appears to be old, then Paul is saying that God is a deceiver.
Omphalos hypothesis and creatio ex nihilo
The Omphalos hypothesis deals with the creation myth in the Abrahamic religions. However the same argument can be applied to any creatio ex nihilo. Wikipedia lists at least eight such creation myths besides the story accounted in Genesis:
- Ancient Egyptian creation myths
- Islamic creation myth
- Kabezya-Mpungu
- Māori myths
- Mbombo
- Ngai
- Popol Vuh
- Rangi and Papa
All these myths can make the exact same claim: "<fill in deities name> created the world <fill in preferred number of years> year ago so that it looked as though it was 4.3 billion years". However, people using the Omphalos hypothesis to support their own creation myth would be unlikely to accept one of the others on this line of reasoning.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ pages 125-127 of the second paperback edition of Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science
- ↑ Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse