Walt Brown (creationist)
Encyclopedia
Walter T. Brown is an American
engineer and young earth creationist (YEC), who is the director of his own ministry called the Center for Scientific Creation. According to his self-published book, Brown has a Ph.D.
in mechanical engineering
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, a B.S. from West Point and he served as an officer in the US military until he retired in 1980. The Skeptic's Dictionary considers him to be one of the leaders of the creation science
movement. He currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona
.
and for creation science
and flood geology
(including hydroplates). It is divided into three sections, the first of which explores discoveries made by scientists that Brown says do not fit the theory of evolution
. The second section outlines various alternate explanations to geological and astronomical subjects such as the mid-oceanic ridge and comet
s, which Brown asserts modern science cannot explain. The final section presents a variety of other questions encountered in the creation-evolution controversy
.
In 1989, the Creation/Evolution journal of the National Center for Science Education published a critique of Brown's theory. Jim Lippard
, graduate student of philosophy begins with a criticism focusing primarily on fossil evidence of human evolution
. Brown addressed several of Lippard's points in his response, and three further articles were printed: Lippard, Brown, and ending with Lippard, where he asserts that Brown made serious errors, including using "mistaken claims about what others have written." The series of articles does not discuss Brown's Hydroplate Theory, apart from Brown's claim that Lippard "dismisses or ignores the bulk of the book and specifically addresses only a very small fraction of its substance."
Philosopher Robert T. Pennock
describes Brown's position as being typical, other than the unique feature of his hydroplates hypothesis, of young-earth creationists in desiring to explain all major terrestrial features in terms of a catastrophic
Biblical flood
.
TalkOrigins reports that Walt Brown has had contentious relations with other creationist organizations. Answers in Genesis
has a standing offer to Brown to publish some of his material in their journals but Brown has declined. The old earth creationist organization Answers in Creation has published material rebutting Brown's hydroplate theory. The Christian
American Scientific Affiliation
website features a debunking of Brown's video "God's Power and Scriptures Authority" by Steven H. Schimmrich of Kutztown University.
Brown also has repeatedly claimed that no "evolutionist" will engage in a written debate with him, but has been accused of discouraging or avoiding such debates. An abortive attempt at such a debate was held in 1989 and 1990 in the pages of Creation/Evolution, the National Center for Science Education
journal, before Brown refused to continue. Joe Meert of Gondwana Research, a journal promoting research related to the origin and evolution of continent
s, had a supposed signed contract for such a debate with Walter Brown in 2000. It has been said Brown disputed the terms of the signed contract and it did not take place. Brown has mentioned on his website that the actual reason for the debate not taking place was that the debater wanted to add religion and since Dr. Brown is not a theologian, he wanted the debate to be strictly science. According to Georgia State University
biology professor Fred K. Parrish, who was "tricked" into an April 1985 public debate with Brown, Brown debates around the U.S. and has a set of preconditions (such as Brown speaks first, the debate moderator sits on his side, etc.).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer and young earth creationist (YEC), who is the director of his own ministry called the Center for Scientific Creation. According to his self-published book, Brown has a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, a B.S. from West Point and he served as an officer in the US military until he retired in 1980. The Skeptic's Dictionary considers him to be one of the leaders of the creation science
Creation science
Creation Science or scientific creationism is a branch of creationism that attempts to provide scientific support for the Genesis creation narrative in the Book of Genesis and disprove generally accepted scientific facts, theories and scientific paradigms about the history of the Earth, cosmology...
movement. He currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
Biography
Since retiring from the military in 1980, Brown has been the Director of the Center for Scientific Creation and has worked full time in research, writing, and speaking on origins theory. In 1998, Brown was appointed to a committee reviewing Arizona's state science standards. However, evolution was retained in the Arizona state science standards after a final decision in August 1998.Claims and criticism
In Brown's In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood he suggests evidence against evolutionEvolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
and for creation science
Creation science
Creation Science or scientific creationism is a branch of creationism that attempts to provide scientific support for the Genesis creation narrative in the Book of Genesis and disprove generally accepted scientific facts, theories and scientific paradigms about the history of the Earth, cosmology...
and flood geology
Flood geology
Flood geology is the interpretation of the geological history of the Earth in terms of the global flood described in Genesis 6–9. Similar views played a part in the early development of the science of geology, even after the Biblical chronology had been rejected by geologists in favour of an...
(including hydroplates). It is divided into three sections, the first of which explores discoveries made by scientists that Brown says do not fit the theory of evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
. The second section outlines various alternate explanations to geological and astronomical subjects such as the mid-oceanic ridge and comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
s, which Brown asserts modern science cannot explain. The final section presents a variety of other questions encountered in the creation-evolution controversy
Creation-evolution controversy
The creation–evolution controversy is a recurring cultural, political, and theological dispute about the origins of the Earth, humanity, life, and the universe....
.
In 1989, the Creation/Evolution journal of the National Center for Science Education published a critique of Brown's theory. Jim Lippard
Jim Lippard
James Joseph Lippard is an American skeptic and activist freethinker who has written and spoken widely.Lippard works for Global Crossing as its head of information security....
, graduate student of philosophy begins with a criticism focusing primarily on fossil evidence of human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
. Brown addressed several of Lippard's points in his response, and three further articles were printed: Lippard, Brown, and ending with Lippard, where he asserts that Brown made serious errors, including using "mistaken claims about what others have written." The series of articles does not discuss Brown's Hydroplate Theory, apart from Brown's claim that Lippard "dismisses or ignores the bulk of the book and specifically addresses only a very small fraction of its substance."
Philosopher Robert T. Pennock
Robert T. Pennock
Robert T. Pennock is a philosopher working on the Avida digital organism project at Michigan State University where he has been full professor since 2000. Pennock was a witness in the Kitzmiller v...
describes Brown's position as being typical, other than the unique feature of his hydroplates hypothesis, of young-earth creationists in desiring to explain all major terrestrial features in terms of a catastrophic
Catastrophism
Catastrophism is the theory that the Earth has been affected in the past by sudden, short-lived, violent events, possibly worldwide in scope. The dominant paradigm of modern geology is uniformitarianism , in which slow incremental changes, such as erosion, create the Earth's appearance...
Biblical flood
Flood geology
Flood geology is the interpretation of the geological history of the Earth in terms of the global flood described in Genesis 6–9. Similar views played a part in the early development of the science of geology, even after the Biblical chronology had been rejected by geologists in favour of an...
.
TalkOrigins reports that Walt Brown has had contentious relations with other creationist organizations. Answers in Genesis
Answers in Genesis
Answers in Genesis is a non-profit Christian apologetics ministry with a particular focus on supporting Young Earth creationism and a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis. The organization has offices in the United Kingdom and the United States...
has a standing offer to Brown to publish some of his material in their journals but Brown has declined. The old earth creationist organization Answers in Creation has published material rebutting Brown's hydroplate theory. The Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
American Scientific Affiliation
American Scientific Affiliation
The American Scientific Affiliation is a Christian religious organization of scientists and people in science-related disciplines. The stated purpose is "to investigate any area relating Christian faith and science." The organization publishes a journal, Perspectives of Science and Christian Faith...
website features a debunking of Brown's video "God's Power and Scriptures Authority" by Steven H. Schimmrich of Kutztown University.
Brown also has repeatedly claimed that no "evolutionist" will engage in a written debate with him, but has been accused of discouraging or avoiding such debates. An abortive attempt at such a debate was held in 1989 and 1990 in the pages of Creation/Evolution, the National Center for Science Education
National Center for Science Education
The National Center for Science Education is a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It is the United States' leading anti-creationist organization, and defends the teaching of evolutionary biology and opposes...
journal, before Brown refused to continue. Joe Meert of Gondwana Research, a journal promoting research related to the origin and evolution of continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
s, had a supposed signed contract for such a debate with Walter Brown in 2000. It has been said Brown disputed the terms of the signed contract and it did not take place. Brown has mentioned on his website that the actual reason for the debate not taking place was that the debater wanted to add religion and since Dr. Brown is not a theologian, he wanted the debate to be strictly science. According to Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
biology professor Fred K. Parrish, who was "tricked" into an April 1985 public debate with Brown, Brown debates around the U.S. and has a set of preconditions (such as Brown speaks first, the debate moderator sits on his side, etc.).
Books
Self-published by Brown (as the Center for Scientific Creation):- In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood, Center for Scientific Creation (7th edn ISBN 1-878026-08-9).