How Old?

In determining the actual and not supposed nor alleged age of any physical item, and of any physical occurrence of some event in the past, given parameters are frequently calibrated by preconceived assumptions (if such beliefs are true) or presumptions (if such beliefs are false).

For example, if it is [falsely] presumed that the Biblical record of creation days is erroneous, bad or wrong mythology, imaginary superstition, or outright lies.....OR it is [falsely] presumed that the English word days in Genesis chapter one of Scripture relating to the actual Hebrew Text does not mean literal 24-hour days at all, but is to be groundlessly [mis-]interpreted allegorically, metaphorically, or symbolically as immensely-long periods of million-years/billion-years time.....calibration of everything from concocted quasi-"artistic" mis-rendition time declarations plus faulty measurement by mis-adjusted radioactive-decay dating will consequentially be grossly inaccurate.....and if such is dogmatically promoted while the propagandizing perpetrator is quite aware of the baselessness and proof-lessness of non-accurate presumptions, the deviate is shamefully guilty of worthless and despicable blatant non-scientific and anti-scientific dishonesty and deception.

On the other hand, if it is [rightly] assumed that the Biblical record of creation days is correct and accurate historically as adhered to by faith and belief which cannot be logically nor scientifically disproven, pertaining to the Hebrew-Text use of the word yom [pronounced: yohm] for day along with the ordinal numbers 1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day, etc. and further qualified by the Hebrew idiomatic expression: ...and there was evening and there was morning....., there is absolutely no sensible nor legitimate alternative but to assert that the days of Creation Week actually were 24-hour periods (with or without the presence of the Sun coming into existence on Day 4 of Creation Week).

Clearly, then, we can safely set parameters of dating objects and phenomena occurrences concordant with Holy Writ, and forthrightly proclaim that this planet and the other contents of the universe are no more than 8000 years old, calculating in accord with the 24-hour days of Creation Week followed by the overlapping centuries-old longevity ages of listed Old-Testament patriarchs in the opening chapters of Genesis, and others thereafter.

In addition to carefully examining and utilizing precise Biblical semantics to correctly calibrate timing standards for postulations of calendar dates determining the age of antiquities, the very definition of how time is measured must be considered. Exactly how long should a second or a minute be thought of? Throughout the entire Bible such are never mentioned, but of course hours, days and years are found. IS the present "scientific" measurement for the precise duration of a "second" and then consequentially a "minute" realistic according to:

Genesis 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years....

To add to confusion about that, some so-called "scientists" or even "creationists" purport that the speed of Earth's rotation is "slowing down." Whether or not such is true, we have the additional problem of "leap years," indicating current calendars are not in sync with nature as described in Genesis 1:14 stated above.

Another vital factor to correctly calibrate timing in terms of suggesting how old things are or when in the past an event occurred, especially relating to calibrating standards for radiometric dating, is to take into consideration unusual phenomena which scientists have become aware of though whatever reliable source (especially Genesis and other parts of Scripture). For example, it is obvious through extensive and honest analysis of sedimentary rock formations and the fossils therein that a worldwide catastrophic flood is the best explanation for the plethora of topsy-turvy mixed-up combinations and assortments of both rock and fossil types. Such a flood at least allegedly and at best did historically occur according to the record of Genesis at the time of the patriarch Noah.

Having established that, is proof of age pertaining to an object or an occurrence of some phenomena in the past done by inductive or deductive reasoning?

There are at least two mechanisms by which dates within the past 8000 years can be deduced:

(1) The nonhistoricity before inception of existence technique, and
(2) The simultaneous existence by comparative association technique.

Elaboration of both will follow.

Let us take the patriarch David as an example regarding (1) above.

This is the first reference to "David" in the entire Revised Standard Version Bible:

Ruth 4:17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

There is NO reference to "David" before that, logically indicating that "David" probably did not exist before a certain point of time in history. After the Ruth 4:17 reference stated above, "David" is mentioned over and over all throughout the remainder of the entire Bible. Thus, in relation to at what time in the past "David" was mentioned and never mentioned, dating of historically-occurring phenomena can reliably be calibrated and calculated.

Regarding (2) above, calibration and calculation for the calendar-date timing or age-setting of David's contemporary "Saul" can be set in relation to the closely-associated contextual association with "David." Here are some references (with context) to BOTH "David" and "Saul" together:

First Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
1Sam 16:15 And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
1Sam 16:17 So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me."
1Sam 16:19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."
1Sam 16:20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
1Sam 16:21 And David came to Saul, and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.
1Sam 16:22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight."
1Sam 16:23 And whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

To use modern examples, how can it be proven precisely when in the past such people as Genghis Khan, Columbus, Martin Luther, Napoleon, or even Lincoln, Marx, Lenin, and Hitler lived?

That is almost as difficult in describing the colors red, white, and blue verbally...or verbally proving immediately that oxygen or gravity or craters on Pluto exist without promptly presenting pictures or demonstrating their effects.

Enter the phenomena of sketches, paintings, photos, movies, and videos.

Correlating whatever with whatever is visible within such media is quite telling as to when such occurred in the past. For example, if we see year number "1776" next to (or better yet: within) a portrait of George Washington, we can assume that George lived sometime during 1776 A.D. and probably sometime before and after that.

It is well to keep all this in mind when we read pseudo-"scientific" newspaper articles involving nonsubstantiated declarations of phenomena in the past supposedly being "millions of years" old, see description plaques and/or hear narrated tours of caves and natural-history exhibits and/or visit public-school "science" classrooms and hear what is being alleged about preposterously-long time periods of presumed "scientific" "historical" "fact."

Such aberrant heresy plainly does not jive with the trusted Biblical record, and therefore must be held in suspect while relentlessly doubted and questioned.