Final answer:
The belief discussed is known as Young Earth Creationism, which is contrary to the scientific understanding that the Earth is around 4.5 billion years old and life evolved through a long process culminating in humans appearing about 2.5 million years ago.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question refers to a belief known as Young Earth Creationism, which holds that God created the Earth and all living creatures in their present form as recently as 6,000 years ago. This view contrasts sharply with the scientific consensus supported by geological, geochemical, and fossil evidence, which indicates that the Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old and that life evolved over a vast period of time. The earliest forms of life, microorganisms, appeared billions of years ago, with more complex life forms like mammals, birds, and flowering plants arising much later. Humans, belonging to the genus Homo, are a recent arrival in the history of life on Earth, having appeared just about 2.5 million years ago, and the modern appearance of humans dates back to only around 200,000 to 300,000 years ago.