Does Brian Thomas think I'm a fraud?
In the latest creationist commentary on the Dmanisi fossil, ICR's Brian Thomas declares that the claims about Skull 5 border on fraud. Here's the article:
New 'Human' fossil borders on fraud
Let's think carefully about these claims. According to Thomas, there are anatomical reasons to conclude that Skull 5 is an ape. But in my own baraminological analysis of very similar skulls with similar anatomical traits, I found evidence that they are human. To me, Dmanisi illustrates everything I've been saying about the human baramin: the human family is highly variable, even to the point of producing humans that look ape-like in some of their characteristics. Even more exciting is that these Dmanisi fossils are basically from the same locality, making it very likely that they're all one highly variable population. That was the point of the original article, which I summarized previously. In an unpublished email to a reader, I excitedly pointed out that these are some of the earliest human fossils in the fossil record, and they're right there near the mountains of Ararat. Amazing!
So despite the fact that Skull 5 is a HUGE benefit to creationist claims, confirming basic concepts of baraminology and post-Flood human populations, Brian Thomas is throwing it all out because he thinks it's a fraud (which it's not). So I guess creationists who affirm the Skull 5 findings must be frauds too, following Thomas's line of thought.
What a disappointment. What a lost opportunity.
What a waste.
Hear me, creationists: Dmanisi is the best thing to happen to creationist anthropology in a long, long time. HUGELY IMPORTANT. Don't let Brian Thomas throw a wet blanket on your excitement.
Calling it a fraud is ridiculous.
Feedback? Email me at toddcharleswood [at] gmail [dot] com.
New 'Human' fossil borders on fraud
Let's think carefully about these claims. According to Thomas, there are anatomical reasons to conclude that Skull 5 is an ape. But in my own baraminological analysis of very similar skulls with similar anatomical traits, I found evidence that they are human. To me, Dmanisi illustrates everything I've been saying about the human baramin: the human family is highly variable, even to the point of producing humans that look ape-like in some of their characteristics. Even more exciting is that these Dmanisi fossils are basically from the same locality, making it very likely that they're all one highly variable population. That was the point of the original article, which I summarized previously. In an unpublished email to a reader, I excitedly pointed out that these are some of the earliest human fossils in the fossil record, and they're right there near the mountains of Ararat. Amazing!
So despite the fact that Skull 5 is a HUGE benefit to creationist claims, confirming basic concepts of baraminology and post-Flood human populations, Brian Thomas is throwing it all out because he thinks it's a fraud (which it's not). So I guess creationists who affirm the Skull 5 findings must be frauds too, following Thomas's line of thought.
What a disappointment. What a lost opportunity.
What a waste.
Hear me, creationists: Dmanisi is the best thing to happen to creationist anthropology in a long, long time. HUGELY IMPORTANT. Don't let Brian Thomas throw a wet blanket on your excitement.
Calling it a fraud is ridiculous.
Feedback? Email me at toddcharleswood [at] gmail [dot] com.