The hypothesis of Common Design is actually a creationist concept, where similar structures or features are explained in terms of a designer creating similar functions. Biologist Edward Max explains it as follows:

Thus the similarities between species in anatomy and protein structure can be interpreted in two entirely different ways. The evolutionists say that the similarity between features of, for example, humans and apes reflects the fact that these features were inherited from a common ancestor; that is, the similar features of humans and apes are determined by modern copies of genes that once existed in species that was ancestral to both apes and humans. The creationists say that apes and humans were created independently but were designed with similar features so that they would function similarly. Both the gene copying and the independent creation views seem consistent with the similarity data, but which view is correct? [1]

Max successfully argues that we can tease apart the explanations of common design from common descent by looking for similarities that are not attributed to function. Since designers design to elicit a function, similarities not tied to function are unlikely to stem from design. Max then uses this logic to make a powerful case for evolution. But what if we fail to find similarities that are not tied to function?
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