Claim CI141:
Similarities in anatomy and DNA sequences simply reflect the fact that the
organisms had the same designer.
Source:
Response:
- Different forms also (it is claimed) come from the same designer, so
similar forms are not evidence of a common designer. Evidence for a
designer must begin by specifying (before the fact) what is expected
from the designer. When do we expect similar forms, and when do we
expect different forms? "Intelligent design" theory will not answer
that. Evolution theory has made that prediction, and the pattern of
similarities and differences that we observe accords with what
evolution predicts.
- There are similarities that cannot rationally be attributed to design.
For example, an endogenous retroviral element (ERV) is a retrovirus (a
parasite) that has become part of the genome. There are several kinds
of ERVs, and they can insert themselves at random locations. Humans
and chimps have thousands of such ERVs in common -- the same type of
ERV at the same location in the genome (D. M. Taylor 2003).
- The "form follows function" principle is the
opposite from
what we expect from known design.
References:
created 2003-5-5
