The question was about the personal beliefs of the geologist being hired by the oil co. and whether the company really was all that concerned about such.
And what you call ‘hard science’ involves a great deal of interpretation based upon personal belief or bias.
Perhaps you know of a company that asks whether a potential new hire is an evolutionist or a creationist. I don’t.
Hence my answer.
Petroleum geology relies heavily on paleontology. Hard science.
Perhaps you know of a company that asks whether a potential new hire is an evolutionist or a creationist. I don’t.
However, I doubt an oil company would want a 'geologist' who believes all this was created in 6,000 years. Because that mindset rejects key findings in paleontology, structural geology and petroleum formation. It would be like a Pharma company hiring someone who does not believe in germ theory.