ACT Test Flashcards
Telos Origin and Meaning
Greek / end, goal, purpose
constants
laws/values that if slightly altered would no longer permit life
Teleological Argument
- the fine-tuning of the universe is due either to physical necessity, chance, or design
- it is not due to physical necessity or chance
- TF, it is probably due to design
Different analogies for the teleological argument
- William Paley’s watchmaker
- Royal flush
- Pennies on the wall
- Firing squad
Physical Necessity
They claim it “has to be like this”
But scientists all admit that the laws of nature could have been different
(gravity and tilt of the earth)
Chance
- Gravity (too strong vs too weak)
- Expansion rate (too fast vs too slow)
- O2 level
- Tilt of the Earth
Roger Penrose Number
1 in 10^10^123
OBJ: Fine-tuning doesn’t exist
- almost all scientists disagree
- There are precise parameters
OBJ: Anthropic Objection (puddle argument)
- we shouldn’t be surprised to see fine-tuning since we couldn’t exist in any other condition
rsp: the problem is this fails to address why the conditions are what they are
OBJ: Multiverse
- with billions of universes were bound to get at least one that is fine-tuned
resp: monkey + typewriters (just bc something is possible doesn’t mean its probable)
OBJ: Evolution
- fine-tuning is just adaptions/ natural selection
resp: how did the parameter that allowed evolution to happen get there in the first place?
OBJ: Humes Polytheism
- This could prove polytheism
resp: it’s hard to believe that a disunited pantheon could form such a coordinated universe
Kalam Argument
- whatever begins to exist has a cause
- The universe began to exist
- Therefore the universe has a cause
- the cause is either personal or impersonal
- The cause is personal
The Universe is eternal
Resp: - achieving infinity is impossible
- the amount of energy and heat in the universe is going to end
Who caused god?
Resp 1: god didn’t begin to exist so he didn’t need a cause
Resp: 2: Necessary vs contingent beings
