1
The Pattern of Life
2
The Morphological Distribution

• Anatomical characteristics (morphology) of both
  the fossil living organisms can be depicted by
  points on a multidimensional graph. We can
  simplistically demonstrate in a two-dimensional
  schematic diagram to observe some of the patterns
  that might emerge. These will illustrate the
  much more complex patterns found in the record of
  life.

3
Schematic Diagram of Two Traits
4
The Limits on Variation

• Now if we consider just these two dimensions, we
  can observe that populations vary within certain
  limits prescribed by genetic information. These
  limits (represented by ellipses) become a
  yardstick, established by actual observations
  of ancestors and descendants in the field and in
  the lab. Even if all our populations do not
  contain organisms to fill such ellipses, each
  group (whether species, family etc.) might
  reasonably have varied similarly over time.

5
Illustrating the Limits on Variation
6
Potential Patterns

• Now there are multiple patterns that could
  conceivably emerge from an exercise like this (or
  the more sophisticated and realistic cladograms
  employed by taxonomists to classify different
  organisms). Consider just two the data points
  plotting along some type of curve, and the data
  demonstrating gradual change uniting disparate
  groups with gaps no bigger than the experimental
  yardstick.

7
The Trajectory Pattern
8
Gradual Integradation Pattern
9
Models of Origins

• Now let us consider the patterns that might be
  predicted by different models of origins. This
  is more difficult to illustrate with a simple
  schematic diagram. But if we zoom out and let
  a single black point now represent an isolated
  population (akin to a species), we can convey
  some of the different patterns expected by the
  competing models of origins.

10
The Fixed Species Model

• Early Creationists believed that each species
  was specially created for its particular
  environment and that the basic morphology was
  rather rigidly fixed. Thus one should readily be
  able to segregate organisms into their various
  created types.

11
The Fixed Species Pattern
12
The Predicted Evolution Model

• Charles Darwin predicted that as more fossils
  were found, the gaps would be filled in and a
  clear pattern of ancestors and descendants would
  emerge. A pattern of life that would provide
  strong evidence of common descent could feature
  gradualism (lower right). But even the mere
  pattern of ancestors and descendants (lineages)
  along clear trajectories (with a void of
  organisms orthoganal) would suffice as solid
  evidence.

13
The Predicted Evolution Pattern
14
The Predicted Evolutionary Tree
Gradual Evolution
Definitive Transitional Forms
Clear Common Ancestors
15
The Actual Pattern

• Rather than fixed species (as some early
  creationists once believed) or the clear
  phylogeny and gradual evolution (as the
  evolutionists predicted), the actual pattern of
  life encompasses tremendous potential for
  variation within populations and an overall
  structure of groups within groups (or nested
  hierarchy), such that groups are separated by
  large (vis-à-vis the yardstick of slide 4),
  systematic gaps.

16
The Actual Pattern
17
The Common Descent Interpretation

• The darwinists have interpreted this nested
• hierarchy pattern as evidence for evolution,
• though the theory does not predict such a
• pattern. However, a more pressing problem
• is that the actual data are only on the twigs
• and leaves. Species lie off to the side of the
• alleged tree of descent and the huge gaps
• are not bridged by plausible intermediate
• forms. Evolutionists completely disagree
• amongst themselves about ancestors.

18
The Actual Pattern
19
Common Descent Quote

• The evolutionary trees that adorn our textbooks
  have data only at the tips and nodes of their
  branches the rest is inference, however
  reasonable, not the evidence of
  fossils.(Gould, Stephen J., Evolutions
  Erratic Pace, Natural History, 1977, p. 14.)

20
Typical Evolutionary Tree of Life
TypicalEvolution-ary Tree of Life
21
Common Descent Illustration
22
The Intelligent Design Interpretation

• Modern Creationists believe that each kind of
  organism was designed with a tremendous potential
  for genetic variation. This can make it
  difficult to readily discriminate kinds,
  particularly when only a few bones might remain
  as evidence. But this model readily fits the
  actual pattern with what might be called a
  meadow where each stalk identifies a distinct
  group of organisms (or holobaramin) whose
  ancestors were interfertile.

23
Intelligent Design Illustration
24
The Message in the Pattern of Life

• But why would an intelligent designer create
  organisms with a pattern of nested hierarchy? For
  a rigorous presentation of how the pattern of
  life defies naturalistic explanations and how it
  communicates the message of a single, powerful,
  intelligent Designer, see the book The Biotic
  Message in the Genesis Park Store. Discontinuity
  Systematics is an area of active research as
  creationists seek to use interfertility and
  genetic experiments to define holobaramin.