Evolution Professors: There Will be Anatomical Similarities Among Related Organisms

What exactly is a scientific prediction? Philosophers have long since pointed out that many so-called scientific predictions do not qualify. For instance, sometimes a prediction is made after the fact. Other times the prediction is too broad or vague. In some cases a failure of the prediction can be too easily accommodated, using minor adjustments to the theory. In fact sometimes the prediction is not even required by the theory. It is simply used to make the theory look good. These textbook examples from the philosophy of science can be found in abundance in evolutionary theory. Consider, for example, Randy Moore and Sehoya Cotner who, in their new book Arguing for Evolution: An Encyclopedia for Understanding Science, state that evolution predicts “There will be anatomical similarities among related organisms.” It is a typical example of how evolutionists commit even obvious fallacies in their apologetics.

The evolutionary prediction that “There will be anatomical similarities among related organisms” is, for starters, an after-the-fact prediction. It has been known since antiquity that species are not simply randomly designed, but instead share at least some patterns. And the prediction is incredibly vague. It could mean just about anything. But this is only the beginning.

The prediction that “There will be anatomical similarities among related organisms” is not even binding. Biology is full of falsifications of this prediction. We humans and squids, yes squids, share similar vision systems. It is an incredible anatomical similarity among very different species. On the other hand, different frog species have completely different development pathways to form their vision systems. These are just two of biology’s many examples of unrelated organisms with striking similarities and related organisms with striking differences. When confronted with such falsifications, evolutionists respond that “evolution does that too.” As the philosopher warned, sometimes prediction failure can be too easily accommodated.

In fact, evolution’s ability to accommodate such massive contradictions to the prediction shows that the prediction was not even required by the theory in the first place. Evolutionists have no problem explaining violations of their expected pattern. Evolution, they say, can temporarily speed up, thus creating big change and erasing the expected similarities. This and other just-so explanations reveal that this prediction never really was a genuine prediction in the first place. It is just there to make the theory look good.

Religion drives science, and it matters.