Course Descriptions for SMAC 2005.01
(winter 2005 event)
Students returning to SMAC are able to attend courses in which they are most interested. We divided the following list of courses into four categories. These are:
Biblical Apologetics (BA) – the study of why we can believe the scriptures using logic and solid evidence
Earth Science (ES) – the study of the earth specifically, in our case, the age of the earth and the scientific evidence of a global flood
Information Science (IS) – the brand new study of information as being independent of matter and energy.
Life Science (LS) – the study of living things in which we shine a bright light on the claims of Darwinian Evolution separating hard facts from wishful thinking
We then numbered each course to indicate the relative level. All 100 level courses are appropriate for the first year a student attends SMAC events. 200 level courses require two years of SMAC experience.
Please use these descriptions and the course schedule to map out your day.
Biblical Apologetics
BA102 Is that a Literal day?
This section will deal with the question of the literalness of the “days” of creation and examine the text of 2 Peter 3:8 and find out if it truly can be used to justify the long day position. We will also
1. Examine some facts about the use of geochronometers to “scientifically” verify the long age position
2. Explain why the long age position is held as so important to those who hold to the evolutionary position.
3. Equip students to respectfully ask questions to expose the fallacies of the long age assumptions
BA103 Was that a global flood or could it have been a local flood?
In this section we will examine the Biblical evidence and determine if it can indicate a series of local floods as opposed to a worldwide flood. We will also:
1. Examine fossil evidence for the flood.
2. Explain why those who hold to the “local flood” ideas are so opposed to the global flood.
3. Equip students to respectfully ask questions to expose the weaknesses of the local flood arguments.
BA104 How to develop a Biblical Worldview
In this section we will examine what it means to have a Biblical worldview (as opposed to a materialistic worldview) and explore how to become stronger in your own convictions. We will:
1. Examine what scripture says concerning our thinking.
2. Examine what the Bible says in regard to changing our thinking to be in line with God's.
3. Equip students to deal with questions that they will encounter with information that seems to contradict the biblical position.
BA201 More evidence for the reliability of the Bible pt. 1
More Internal and External Evidence. Exploration of specific biblical texts, history, and archeology.
BA202 More evidence for the reliability of the Bible pt. 2
Textual Criticism: Manuscripts, the Canon, comparisons of New Testament to other ancient writings.
BA203 Translations
Is your English version God's Word? How does God protect His truth through the process of human authors, translation, and interpretation into other languages, and the interpretation of each individual reader?
Earth Science
ES101 Geologic Layering
The rock hounds in their lab coats point to their rocks and fossils and say “It’s obvious these rocks are billions of years old. Can’t you see how old and dusty it is?” In this overview of geology, you will find out they aren’t telling you all the facts. You’ll learn some of the gross assumptions being made, the infamous “geologic column” isn’t as prevalent as they’d hope you’d believe!
ES102 What Triggered the Flood?
Of course, man's sin caused the Flood, but what were the physical mechanisms that perhaps initiated the Flood process? Evidences abound that large reservoirs of water were present underground prior to the Flood. Presentation will focus on the dynamic and catastrophic happenings that occurred during and after the “… all the fountains of the great deep broken up…” as documented in Genesis 7:11.
ES103 OOPARTS (Out Of Place Artifacts)
These are artifacts that have been found that are out of place. These are objects that by scientific measure are very old, but in form or construction appear to be quite modern. They are impossible fossils, out-of-time technologically, anachronistic artifacts. In other words, if the evolutionary history of the world is correct, they just should not exist. Take for example a finely crafted gold necklace embedded in a lump of coal. Because they do exist and do not fit the standard scientific timeline or geologic and anthropologic chronology, they suggest, in their own baffling way, that either the established dating techniques are wrong, geology does not progress the way evolutionists suppose it does, or there is far more to the history of life on this planet than the secular scientific community currently knows about. These ooparts upset established, evolutionary thinking.
Main stream science refuses to recognize these artifacts and there is some evidence that oddities such as these are ignored or covered up simply because they cannot be easily explained. We will investigate and discuss a number of OOPARTS.
ES201 Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs supposedly died out about 65 million years ago according to evolutionary thinking. However, if the Bible is true and the earth was created only about 6500 years ago and the Genesis Chapter 1 is true, then man and dinosaurs existed at the same time! Is there evidence that man and dinosaurs lived together? Does the Bible talk about dinosaurs? Are dinosaurs alive today? These are some of the questions we will study along with recent evidence that some dinosaurs may be alive today!
ES202 Fossil Man
The first and most important thing we should understand is that evolutionists begin with the assumption that man has in fact evolved from apes. Since evolutionist generally do not believe that man evolved from any ape that is now living, they look to extinct apes in the fossil record to provide them with their desired evidence. Specifically, they look for any anatomical feature that looks “intermediate” between that of apes and man. Fossil apes having such features are declared to be ancestral to man (or at least collateral relatives) and are called hominids.
We will take a close look at two supposed fossil ancestors of man:
1) “Lucy” Australopithecus afarensis and;
2) Neanderthal man.
ES211 Carbon-14 Dating Undercuts the Long Ages of Evolution
Evolutionary science supports the doctrine of uniformitarian, assumes “The present is the Key to the past.” The slow processes that operate today, as opposed to a global cataclysm as described in the Bible. Using the C-14 half-life of 5730 years, organic materials purportedly older than about 90,000 years should have no measurable C-14. Recent modern technology use of the accelerator mass spectrometer, able to detect up to 0.001% carbon, has shown that almost all organic samples appear to be clustered in the 0.1 to 0.5 range of carbon, regardless of geologic age! This is consistent with the Biblical account of a Biblical Flood that destroyed most organic life only several thousand years ago.
ES212 Helium Diffusion Rates supports Biblical Time Frame
Creation scientists have recently measured the diffusion rates and retention of helium in zircon crystals in granitic rocks. During the process of radioactive decay of uranium to lead, in zircons, helium atoms are given off. Helium, being a lightweight, fast moving atom, diffuses rapidly out of most minerals. Why do tiny zircon crystals retain large percentages of helium if they are millions of years old? The answer is the zircons are only thousands of years old; just like the Bible states!
Information Science
IS101 Science, Information and Biological Life
What does information found in books, computers, and living organisms have in common? In order to answer this question, we must start with precise definitions, and apply the scientific method to the study of information.
IS102 Scientific Definitions of Information (Part 1)
IS103 Scientific Definitions of Information (Part 2)
“The Information Age” - few people would disagree that this description correctly represents the age we live in today. However, few people could give a meaningful definition for what ‘information’ really means. Even science has no clear formulation that distinguishes information from all other entities. This course examines four scientific approaches, each suggesting different definitions for what ‘information’ really is. Why does ‘information’ defy definition? Do any of the four models succeed? You be the judge!
IS111 Searching for Information in Biological Life
Are there any examples in the biological sciences that show the probability of the third entity, Information?
A lot of scientists think that all phenomena in our universe can be explained using matter and energy. We will explore some ideas that leave an intelligent source out and discuss several examples that demand an intelligent source. We will discuss some of the weaknesses of some of the current and historical philosophies that leave out an intelligent creator.
IS211 Searching for the Eternal Being’s Message to Mankind
The Bible is a history of the universe and claims to be a message from an omniscient being. As such it must be 100% accurate in all areas. Otherwise, how would one interpret a message that cannot be assumed to be 100% accurate? Where do we begin to test this message to determine if it is a message from a higher source of knowledge? This session will use examples of science and prophesy fulfillment to demonstrate that the Bible is a message from an omniscient being worthy of study.
Life Science
LS101 Miller Urey Experimental Setup, Results and Inferences
This is one of evolution's greatest icons. Does it really prove that life could come about through chance operating on natural processes? Let's look at the evidence and see where it goes? Did the Miller Spark experiment create life or death? Did it prove the need for a creator, or could life have begun without one.
LS102 The Structure of Living Systems from Atom to System
When we look at a system such as a car, we know that we start from metal, screws, bolts, nuts, panels, etc. That is, we start from all the parts. Then, those parts form the engine, the steering sub-system, the transmission, etc. Then, those subsystems form the whole. Understand the full composition of the body from atom to the complete system in a similar fashion.
LS103 Denial of evolutionary evidence by evolutionists
This is an open forum discussion of the videos Unlocking the Mystery of Life (www.illustramedia.com) and Icons of Evolution (www.coldwatermedia.com).
Note: You can view these videos during SMAC events. Check the schedule!
LS201 Probability of Chance Operating on Natural Processes Producing Living Systems
Learn how to calculate the probability of life coming about by chance and how long it would take, step by step. Bring your calculators, paper, and a pen or pencil (or your laptop). If you like to calculate things and understand what those calculations mean, you will like this session. The calculations are not hard and are actually pretty generous to the evolutionists, but they will still leave you with a clear sense that life by chance is impossible. You wouldn't bet on it.
LS202 The Hard Truth of Why Evolution is a Philosophy and NOT Science when Applied to Living Systems
In this course, we will discuss what science is and explain scientific method and how practices in the scientific community actually reduce the effectiveness of new scientists to contribute truths based on new observations. We will also discuss they different major branches of science and how the differ from one another in practice and effectiveness. We will apply this understanding to the evolution and creation models, and this will help you see why evolution is inferior to scientific theory and why creation is superior to scientific theory.