For those of you who don't know, the continental drift theory states that the continents of the world move when convection currents of magma slowly pull the tectonic plates away from each other, pulling continents either towards or away from each other. With the volcano in Morrowind, I think it is safe to assume that there is magma in Nirn. Does Nirn follow the Continental Drift theory?

To elaborate: some continental change is implied to have occurred during the Dawn, but just as with evolution is is more mythical than it is physical.

There used to be Elnolfny(sp?), a super continent of sorts. Maybe continental drift contributed to it. It's doubtful though, as Bethesda would probably go for their solution to many of the TES mysteries, magic did it.

Ehlnofey, a.k.a Aldmeris, a.k.a an Uber-continent (think Pangea) of with Tamriel was the center. It broke during the Dawn.

Just like the evolution question, there's no answer because of how the world is created. Tamriel is a continent on the "planet"(or whatever that really is) of nirn. It's anywhere since we don't know what a full map of nirn looks like. The world itself is very mythical, if something huge happens, don't expext some scientific explanation. Nobody says that there isn't continental drift, but it doesn't matter anything. Why should bethesda bother about making it up?

There is no evidence of continental drift. There isn't even, among the in-world scholars of The Empire, the means by which such evidence would be collected.

Known continental changes that occurred within the historical record (if the oral traditions of Redguards count as history) include the collapse of Yokuda, which to the best of my knowledge has no plausible explanation within the realm of real-world geology or plate tectonics. Speculated major changes (from liberally speculative interpretation of myth) include potentially the collapse of the realm of the Hist, which in this theory once spanned the space between Tamriel and Akavir where ocean now lies. No tectonic phenomena I am familiar with could have caused such an event.

Don't forget the destruction of Thras. Though that was admittedly less spectacular.

It's possible, but since that it takes millions and millions of years for that sort of thing to happen, it isn't relevant at all.

Any continental alteration and movement is usually caused by divine intervention or some sort of big explosion. So not as it works in the real world.

And what's with this obsession of having a fantasy world that has nothing to do with reality obey reality's rules?

Same reason sci-fi features super-advanced magic space alien precusors who either created the lesser races or left us with lots of cool stuff? (dead gods)

You've been playing Assassin's Creed, haven't you.

Either way, that's still supposed to be Earth and Humanity as it is. Fantasy has no bearing on reality in terms of physics and science, so I still am no closer to figuring out why people seem to want to turn all fantasy into historical fiction that's light on the history.

Or watching Stargate

The human mind needs some familiarity. It is impossible to imagine something that is nothing like what we know, hence any fantasy will be in part earth-like. The amount of earth each person desires in their fantasy varies greatly.

It might just be that the whole idea of the twilight of the magical era is more popular than other ideas about where to take settings.

Such an easy cop-out answer. But you're more than likely correct as that is what they would probably say.

Its no more of a cop out than saying "physics did it." Because you know, it actually did.