Which concept suggests that organisms have innate design qualities?

The concept of intelligent design posits that certain features of the universe and living things are best explained by an intelligent cause rather than an undirected process such as natural selection. Proponents of intelligent design argue that some biological structures show signs of complexity and functionality that imply a purposeful design by an intelligent agent. This perspective emphasizes the inherent qualities in organisms that seem to reflect intentional planning, suggesting that certain characteristics cannot solely be accounted for by random mutation or environmental pressures.

In contrast, natural selection focuses on the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce, without implying any form of design. Artificial selection refers to the intentional breeding of organisms for desired traits, which is driven by human intervention rather than a natural innate design. Mutation theory deals with the genetic variations that arise in organisms and how these changes can contribute to evolution, but again, without the notion of an inherent design. Thus, intelligent design stands out as the concept that explicitly involves the idea of design qualities as an intrinsic part of organisms.