Refer the Thinking Critically About Questions in Biology Link on the Homepage of the Website

JOURNAL PART 2

Refer the “Thinking Critically about Questions in Biology” link on the homepage of the website http://bio.sunyorange.edu to answer the following questions.

1) PLANTS

In the modern world, there are more than 250,000 species of plants. Does the fossil record suggest that modern plants evolved, were spontaneously created, or intelligently designed?

EVOLUTION: If the evolutionary model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern plants would have existed since the beginning of life on earth (even predating the sun and all the stars of the universe, as some creationists argue? Would you expect to see plant groups appearing in order of increasing complexity (e.g. nonvascular plants, vascular plants, plants with leaves, plants with seeds, and finally plants with flowers)? Once flowering plants appear in the fossil record, would you expect all modern groups to be present?

CREATIONISM: If the creationism model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern plants would have existed since the beginning of life on earth (even predating the sun and all the stars of the universe, as some creationists argue? Would you expect to see plant groups appearing in order of increasing complexity (e.g. nonvascular plants, vascular plants, plants with leaves, plants with seeds, and finally plants with flowers)? Once flowering plants appear in the fossil record, would you expect all modern groups to be present?

INTELLIGENT DESIGN : If the intelligent design model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern plants would have existed since the beginning of life on earth (even predating the sun and all the stars of the universe, as some creationists argue? Would you expect to see plant groups appearing in order of increasing complexity (e.g. nonvascular plants, vascular plants, plants with leaves, plants with seeds, and finally plants with flowers)? Once flowering plants appear in the fossil record, would you expect all modern groups to be present?

--Determine whether the existing fossil evidence supports the predictions you made from one of these models and whether it contradicts the predictions made by other models. Explain your reasoning.

2) INSECTS

Insects are the most diverse group of animals alive today. Does the fossil record suggest that they evolved, were spontaneously created, or intelligently designed?

EVOLUTION: If the evolutionary model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern insects have always existed? Would you predict that the early insects would have features which are intermediate between modern insects and more primitive forms (such as a more primitive head structure, abdominal legs, or proto-wings)?

CREATIONISM: If the creationism model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern insects have always existed? Would you predict that the early insects would have features which are intermediate between modern insects and more primitive forms (such as a more primitive head structure, abdominal legs, or proto-wings)?

INTELLIGENT DESIGN : If the intelligent design model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern insects have always existed? Would you predict that the early insects would have features which are intermediate between modern insects and more primitive forms (such as a more primitive head structure, abdominal legs, or proto-wings)?

--Determine whether the existing fossil evidence supports the predictions you made from one of these models and whether it contradicts the predictions made by other models. Explain your reasoning.

3) REPTILES

Modern reptiles consist of turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodiles, and a few minor groups (the tuatara and worm lizards). In the past, reptiles were so successful and diverse that the Mesozoic Era is often nicknamed "The Age of Reptiles". Does the fossil record of reptiles match the predictions which would be made from the evolution, creationism, or intelligent design models?

EVOLUTION: If the evolutionary model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern reptiles have always existed? Would you predict that the earliest known fossil reptiles belonged to groups which are completely extinct today? Would you expect that the first members of fossil groups (such as turtles, snakes, and crocodiles) would be very different from modern members of these groups?

CREATIONISM: If the creationism model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern reptiles have always existed? Would you predict that the earliest known fossil reptiles belonged to groups which are completely extinct today? Would you expect that the first members of fossil groups (such as turtles, snakes, and crocodiles) would be very different from modern members of these groups?

INTELLIGENT DESIGN : If the intelligent design model is correct, would you predict that all families of modern reptiles have always existed? Would you predict that the earliest known fossil reptiles belonged to groups which are completely extinct today? Would you expect that the first members of fossil groups (such as turtles, snakes, and crocodiles) would be very different from modern members of these groups?

--Determine whether the existing fossil evidence supports the predictions you made from one of these models and whether it contradicts the predictions made by other models. Explain your reasoning.

4) DINOSAUR ANCESTORS

Dinosaurs were a very successful group of highly modified reptiles. Did they evolve from dinosaur-like ancestors over time or did they appear from nowhere without relationships to any other group of reptiles. Does their set of anatomical features represent an "irreducible complexity" that must have been "intelligently designed" because reptiles with some of the features could not have survived?

EVOLUTION: If the evolutionary model is correct, would you predict that all groups of dinosaurs had existed since the beginning of life on earth? Would you expect to find reptiles which become more dinosaur-like over time? Would you expect to find non-dinosaur reptiles with some, but not all, of the features associated with dinosaurs?

CREATIONISM: If the creationism model is correct, would you predict that all groups of dinosaurs had existed since the beginning of life on earth? Would you expect to find reptiles which become more dinosaur-like over time? Would you expect to find non-dinosaur reptiles with some, but not all, of the features associated with dinosaurs?

INTELLIGENT DESIGN : If the intelligent design model is correct, would you predict that all groups of dinosaurs had existed since the beginning of life on earth? Would you expect to find reptiles which become more dinosaur-like over time? Would you expect to find non-dinosaur reptiles with some, but not all, of the features associated with dinosaurs?

--Determine whether the existing fossil evidence supports the predictions you made from one of these models and whether it contradicts the predictions made by other models. Explain your reasoning.

5) DINOSAUR GROUPS

The first dinosaurs were very similar to ancestral thecodonts. Later dinosaurs included a diversity of species which were much more specialized. Did the specializations of each group of dinosaurs evolve over time from simpler ancestors or did an "irreducibly complex" set of specializations appear in the first members of each dinosaur group?

EVOLUTION: If the evolutionary model is correct, would you predict that all groups of dinosaurs would begin as small, bipedal animals with few specializations? Would you expect that the specializations for which each group is known would have appeared from the start?

CREATIONISM: If the creationism model is correct, would you predict that all groups of dinosaurs would begin as small, bipedal animals with few specializations? Would you expect that the specializations for which each group is known would have appeared from the start?

INTELLIGENT DESIGN : If the intelligent design model is correct, would you predict that all groups of dinosaurs would begin as small, bipedal animals with few specializations? Would you expect that the specializations for which each group is known would have appeared from the start?

--Determine whether the existing fossil evidence supports the predictions you made from one of these models and whether it contradicts the predictions made by other models. Explain your reasoning.