Thinking About “Vestigial Organs”

Vestigial organs are structures in living things which supposedly had a function in their evolutionary ancestor, but now have ‘no function’—or at least, different or reduced functions. Whether the appendix, the tailbone or wisdom teeth, ‘vestigial’ structures are often considered evidence for evolution. Let’s see how to think through such claims to arrive at a biblical, logical conclusion.

DIGGING DEEPER
• All vestigial organs articles: https://answersingenesis.org/human-body/vestigial-organs/
• Menton, D. (2010). Vestigial Organs—Evidence for Evolution? https://answersingenesis.org/human-body/vestigial-organs/vestigial-organs-evidence-for-evolution/ (Chapter from The New Answers Book 3, available to read online for free here.)
• Mitchell, E. (2016). Are “Vestigial Organs” Really “Proof of Evolution . . . on Your Body”? https://answersingenesis.org/human-body/vestigial-organs/vestigial-organs-really-proof-of-evolution-on-your-body/
• Trexel, J. R. (2018). Are Wisdom Teeth Evidence for Evolution? https://answersingenesis.org/human-body/vestigial-organs/are-wisdom-teeth-evidence-evolution/

CITED REFERENCES
• Futuyama (2013). Patterns of Evolution. In Evolution (3rd ed., pp. 54). Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.
• Dines, J. P., Otárola‐Castillo, E., Ralph, P., Alas, J., Daley, T., Smith, A. D., & Dean, M. D. (2014). Sexual selection targets cetacean pelvic bones. Evolution, 68(11), 3296-3306.

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