GCSE Philosophy and Ethics Practice Exam

What must have been directed by a designer God to achieve the current state according to Catholic responses to evolution?

1. Specific evolution

2. Random mutations

3. The Big Bang

4. Environmental changes

The correct answer is: Specific evolution

The belief that specific evolution must have been directed by a designer God reflects the Catholic perspective that sees divine action as integral to the process of evolution. According to this view, while evolution may occur naturally, it is ultimately guided by God's will and purpose. This idea asserts that God has a deliberate plan for the development of life, which includes particular events and changes that lead to the complexity and diversity of organisms we see today. In this framework, the concept of specific evolution emphasizes that certain traits, species, or changes did not merely arise by chance, but were intentionally allowed or directed by a creator. This belief seeks to harmonize science and faith, proposing that God can work through the processes of evolutionary biology. The other options do not align with this perspective as closely as specific evolution. Random mutations suggest a more random and unguided process, while the Big Bang primarily addresses the origins of the universe rather than the directed development of life itself. Environmental changes may influence evolution but do not imply the guiding presence of a designer God in the same way that specific evolution does.