1.1 Design Argument Flashcards
What kind of argument is the DA?
Inductive
Who is the scholar for the design argument?
William Paley
Name of Paley’s book?
Natural theology
What kind of statements does the DA use for its argument?
Synthetic
What kind of knowledge does the DA use?
A posteriori
Weakness of inductive arguments
Only probabilistic/ cannot be 100% true
What are the three main sets of observation Paley made?
Complexity, order and purpose
Examples of complexity in the world
eye, laws of nature
Examples of order/regularity in the world?
seasons, orbit of planets
Examples of purpose in the world?
Fish gills, lacteal system
How can examples of complexity and order highlight purpose?
Complexity and order of things imply that they were made of the world
What is natural theology?
God’s existence can be inferred by using reasn, science, history and observation
Explain the watch analogy
Watch shows that it is too complex and purposeful to have come about by chance therefore must have been designed by a watchmaker
what are the 6 steps of Paley’s analogy?
- a watch has complex parts which fit together for a purpose
- watch must have been designed by a watchmaker
- The universe has parts that function together for a purpose
- The univsere must have been designed by a watchmaker
- The universe is more complex than a watch so the designer must be greater
- The universe designer is god
Explain Paley’s quote: “Every indication of design which existed in the watch exists in the works of nature with the nature being greater and more”
All evidence of design in a watch is also found in nature but is more complex
Explain Paley’s quote [nature’s design is greater] “in a degree which exists beyond all computation”
Evidence of design in nature is beyond comprehension/understanding
Who is on the main critics of the DA?
David Hume
Name of Hume’s book?
Dialogues concerning natural religion
What 2 errors do you need to avoid when using Hume to criticise DA?
- Avoiding thinking Hume was commenting on Paley’s design argument
- Avoid simply listing the arguments - you need to explain!
What are 2 categories of Hume’s criticisms?
- Argument to design
- Argument from design
Explain Hume’s criticism of ‘lesser beings’
God of classical theism is too big an explanation. The universe could have been designed by lesser beings
What is Hume’s main quote?
“A wise man propotions his evidence to the evidence”
Explain Hume’s criticism of many Gods
The universe could have been designed by many junior gods
Explain Hume’s criticism of an imperfect designer
The universe contains too much evil in the world to have been designed by the God of classical theism
Explain Hume’s vegetable analogy
We should compare the universe to a vegetable as they grow of their own accord
Explain Hume’s criticism of DA as anthropomorphic
We have no idea of universe making so we limit God by comparing God to a human designer
Explain the Epicurean hypothesis
The universe is just the changing arrangements of atoms and given infinite time an ordered universe was inevitable
How can evolution criticise the DA?
Evolution explains evidence of design
What did Dawkins argue about Paley’s DA
That Paley was ‘gloriously wrong’
Swinburne’s quote to support the DA?
“Simplicity is always evidence of the truth”
How can we criticise the problem of evil?
- Free will defence
- Process theodicy
- Hick’s soul making theodicy
What is the anthropic prinicple?
Universe has been fine tuned to ensure the existence of intelligent life
Paley’s argument does provide proof (empirical evidence)
1) Paley provides sufficient empirical evidence
Paley’s argument does provide proof (inductive argument)
2) Paley provides an inductive argument which is probably true
Paley’s argument does provide proof (best explanation)
God is the best explanation for the evidence of design
Paley’s argument does provide not proof (poor evidence)
Evidence provided by Paley can be proven through evolution
Paley’s argument does provide not proof (religious experiences)
Theists believe proof can only come through religious experiences
Paley’s argument does not provide proof (not a deductive argument)
Only deductive arguments provide 100% proof, inductive arguments are only probable
Play’s argument does have value for faith (supports faith)
DA supports faith in God through empirical evidence and reasoning
Paley’s argument does have value for faith (against atheism)
Atheists arguments are just as hypothetical therefore DA provides a reasonable argument
Paley’s argument does not have value for religious faith (sola fide)
Faith in god is based on faith alone (sola fide), empirical evidence is not needed
