Discovering Divine Variation: Unveiling the Created Kind

Variation, Information, and the Created Kind

The concept of evolution is often misunderstood and misrepresented in popular literature. Many people believe that small changes observed in living organisms today can be extended over long periods of time to explain the evolution of complex life forms. However, this view fails to consider the limitations of genetic information and the inherent difficulties in achieving significant evolutionary change. In this article, we will explore the relationship between variation, information, and the created kind from a young-earth creationist perspective.

Variation within Kinds

1. The Limits of Variation: All observed biological changes involve either conservation or decay of genetic information. We do not observe the type of evolution necessary for single-cell-to-man evolution. It is important to recognize that creationists do not deny variation; rather, they acknowledge that there are limits to the extent of variation within a particular kind.

Why This Matters: Understanding the limits of variation helps us distinguish between observable changes within a kind and the type of change required for macroevolution. It challenges the simplistic portrayal of creationists as drawing arbitrary boundaries on variation.

Think About It: If variations in living organisms were unlimited, we would expect to see drastic transformations over relatively short periods of time. However, this is not what we observe in nature.

1. The Concept of Created Kinds: While it is tempting to use observed variation to define created kinds, this approach is circular and vulnerable to criticism. Creationists believe that all variation occurs within the limits of the created kind, making it impossible to observe variation "across the kind." Defining the created kind precisely allows for scientific falsifiability.

Why This Matters: Recognizing the limitations of taxonomic definitions of the created kind helps us focus on more meaningful discussions about genetic information and biological change.

Think About It: What criteria should we use to define a created kind? How can we identify relationships between different species within a kind?

1. Information and Change: The underlying genetic information in living organisms determines their characteristics and functionality. Genetic information is not a property of matter but depends on the arrangement and organization of DNA. Inherited biological variations are expressions of variations in this genetic information.

Why This Matters: Understanding the role of genetic information helps us evaluate the mechanisms responsible for biological change and challenges the idea that random mutations can generate new functional complexity.

Think About It: Consider the analogy of a book. The letters on the page are made up of matter, but the information they convey originates from the mind of the author. Can random processes generate meaningful information?

1. Mechanisms of Biological Variation: Different mechanisms contribute to biological variation, but they do not add new functional complexity or information.

2. Mendelian Variation: Sexual reproduction allows for combinations of existing genetic information but does not produce new information.

3. Polyploidy: Multiplication or "photocopying" of existing genetic information does not generate new sentences or genes.
4. Hybridization: Merging two sets of existing genetic information does not create new sentences or genes.
5. Mutation: Mutations are mostly harmful, lethal, or meaningless to an organism's function or survival. Rare beneficial mutations do not add the type of functional complexity required for macroevolution.

Why This Matters: Recognizing that these mechanisms do not contribute new functional complexity challenges the notion that they can drive significant evolutionary change.

Think About It: Can random changes in a highly ordered code introduce meaningful complexity? How likely is it that beneficial mutations can account for complex adaptations?

The Created Kind

1. Genetic Relationships and Common Descent: The Scriptures imply that different groups of living organisms belong to distinct created kinds. Each original group started with a certain amount of genetic information, and subsequent variations occurred within those limits. Genetic relationships are determined by common descent from the same ancestral gene pool.

Why This Matters: Understanding genetic relationships helps us navigate discussions about species, genera, families, and other taxonomic classifications within the created kinds.

Think About It: How can we determine if two groups of organisms belong to the same created kind? What evidence should we consider when assessing genetic relationships?

1. Limitations of Taxonomic Classifications: Classifying organisms based solely on morphology can be misleading. Similarities due to common design may lead to organisms being classified in the same taxonomic group even if they belong to different created kinds. Morphology alone cannot accurately determine genetic relationships.

Why This Matters: Recognizing the limitations of morphological classifications encourages us to consider other factors, such as genetic information and functionality, when evaluating relationships between organisms.

Think About It: How can DNA sequencing help us determine genetic relationships between organisms? What challenges do we face when trying to identify the boundaries of created kinds? Understanding the relationship between variation, information, and the created kind is essential for evaluating evolutionary claims. Recognizing the limits of variation within a kind challenges the simplistic portrayal of creationists as denying variation. Genetic information plays a crucial role in determining an organism's characteristics and functionality, and existing mechanisms of biological variation do not add new functional complexity. Recognizing genetic relationships within the created kinds allows us to better understand the biblical concept of common descent and challenges simplistic taxonomic classifications. By exploring these topics, we can engage in informed discussions about evolution and creation while remaining faithful to biblical principles.