4. Weaknesses of the Design Argument

Question 1

Describe a brief biography of David Hume

Answer 1

• lived 1711-1776
• Scottish historian & philosopher
• was a religious sceptic & empiricist who argued that human knowledge is founded on experience
• in his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, published over 20 years before Paley put forward his design argument; Hume put forward some key criticisms of design argument which we can apply to Paley’s argument

Question 2

What is Hume’s view on design arguments?

Answer 2

• he was highly critical of analogical arguments, referring to an “inductive leap”
• using a watch (that we know about) to explain the universe (that we don’t know about) is daft
• to draw analogy (comparison) between the works of people and the universe is anthropomorphic (having human characteristics)
• if God is to be compared with a watchmaker, it gives Him human qualities & undermines His divinity

Question 3

Why does Hume consider Paley’s watch analogy unsound?

Answer 3

since we have no certain knowledge of the universe in the way that we do have certain knowledge of the watch

Question 4

Define anthropomorphism

Answer 4

God’s qualities & characteristics are identified with those of humans

Question 5

What are Hume’s complaints about the design argument?

Answer 5

• if God is compared with a human designer, then it serves only to limit his powers; this is because **humans cannot be compared