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A LOOK BACK
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By MARLAN DOWNEY

Debates Were Grand

 

Perhaps a review -- and awareness -- of the past may make us better geologists in the future.

I miss those grand debates, those articles that incite argument, rebuttal and rebuttal. Such published debates illuminate the subject more perfectly than any single publication and allow we ignorant folk to function as jury.

Remember the early discussions on Continental Drift?

On Organic Origin of Oil and Gas?

On the Origin of Dolomite?

On Vertical vs. Overthrust Tectonics?

The Discussions section of the January 1955 AAPG BULLETIN offers such a grand debate on the exotica of proper modeling of delta formation, between notables C.H. Crickmay and Charles C. Bates.

It is comparable in its way as, say, watching the thrusts and ripostes of a fencing match.

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