Evidence for Supernatural Origin of ...
What is a species?
The term species is loosely used in biology today. There is no standard for determining when two organisms should be classified as species, sub-species, or genus. Yet classifying organisms is very important. The lack of a standard concept whereby species are named is referred to as the "species problem."
Several "concepts" of systems of classification have been proposed, and the concept used depends on the preference of the those specializing in a particular species. Thus, some use the Morphological Concept, others the Biological Species Concept, still others the Phylogenetic Species Concept, and still others use other concepts.
Hence, it is possible that two organisms that cannot interbreed are classified as the same species, and for other organisms that can interbreed to be classified as different species (e.g., Canis familiaris and Canis lupus).
The Morphological Concept is based on the obvious, similar physical characteristics. Evolutionists reasoned that organisms that possess identical morphologies (physical characteristics) share a common ancestry (genetic relationship). However, experimental observation shows that morphology is not a reliable criterion for determining genetic relationship.
A well known criterion for classifying organisms is the ability or inability to interbreed and produce viable offspring. This is called the Biological Species Concept. However, field investigation shows that this is not a reliable criterion. Further, it is inadequate to classify asexual organisms and extinct organisms.
Likewise, each concept devised fails to accurately define species to the satisfaction of all. For this reason, Endear concludes: "It is clear that species concepts vary radically depending on their purpose, be it theoretical or operational, taxonomic or evolutionary, contemporaneous or clade, reproductive or cohesive. It is unproductive, and often positively misleading, to apply one species concept to all species, or to answer all questions" (J. A. Endler, "Conceptual and Other Problems in Speciation," in D. Otle and J. A. Endler, Speciation and Its Consequences, Sunderland, Massachusetts, Sinauer, 1989, pp. 625-648).
Carolus Linnaeus, the father of taxonomy, originated the term species basing it on the Biblical "kind produces kind" concept. In other words, the original meaning of the word species referred to organisms that were created as a particular kind (or baramin from the Hebrew words bara meaning "created" and min meaning "kind") and interbred among only their own kind to produce viable offspring. Creationists use sometimes the term species as the Biblical "kind" to refer to a population of genetically related individuals. Some use the word speciation to acknowledge the occurrence of variation within a population type. Thus, for the sake of clarity, kind, type, or baramin are preferred.
Evidence for Supernatural Origin of ...