viole, I'm glad you returned to this thread. I just wanted to clarify what we've been arguing about recently and that is "common descent." We've been arguing so long about it that we assume it has to do with different species. The truth is the evolutionary term and part of Darwin's theory as "descent with modification." This is from Charles Darwin.
To use the websites that I use for evolution, it's explained here --
Descent with modification.
To explain where creation scientists draw the line is explained here (I searched for "descent with modification" and end up here):
"
Common descent is a principle of Darwinism which holds that life on Earth evolved from a common ancestor.
Darwin's theory of
descent with modification led inexorably to this conclusion as is illustrated in the following quote from Prentice Hall Biology (2008). The theory draws support from
homology (physical similarities),
embryology (developmental similarities), and the geographic distribution of organisms.
“Descent with modification also implies that all living organisms are related to one another. Look back in time, and you will find common ancestors shared by tigers, panthers, and cheetahs. Look farther back, and you will find ancestors that these felines share with horses, dogs, and bats. Farther back still are the common ancestors of mammals, birds, alligators, and fishes. If we look far enough back, the logic concludes, we could find the common ancestors of all living things. This is the principle known as common descent.
[1]
By contrast, creationists believe that God created many
kinds of organisms, and that innumerable
species developed from those original kinds through
microevolution via inherent
genetic variability and
natural selection. That
tigers,
panthers, and
cheetahs share a common ancestor is a view accepted by most
young earth creationists. However, the belief that
biological evolution supports that these
felines share ancestors with horses, dogs, and bats is a point where evolutionists and most creationists part ways."
Common descent - CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
Thus, everyone accepts descent with modification within a species, but we disagree when we go beyond that. It seems common descent in those terms is where the argument begins.
I have more to say about this and the Britannica article on evolution and human evolution if you want to continue discussing. Otherwise, I hope this clarifies the terms.
