Common Design vs. Common Descent: A Philosophical and Scientific Comparison

1. Introduction: The Challenge of Studying Origins The study of life’s beginnings and diversity stands at the crossroads of science, philosophy, and theology. It invites humanity to ask not only how life began, but why. While modern science often operates under the assumption of naturalism — that all phenomena must be explained by purely material causes — Scripture reminds us that this assumption is not neutral. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). To exclude the Creator from the study of creation is already to…

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