Analogy

Question 1

What’s an analogy?

Answer 1

A comparison between one thing and another

Question 2

William Paley’s analogy?

Answer 2

Paley’s watch

Question 3

Paley’s watch argument?

Answer 3

• watch serves as an analogy to the world
• watch made of intrinsic parts and mechanisms, working together for a purpose with watchmaker as its designer
• so world like a watch: made up of intrinsic parts working towards and end for the benefit f the whole which needs a designer

Question 4

(WP)The design of a watch implies a designer, so the design in the world implies what?

Answer 4

A great designer -which is God

Question 5

(WP) the unity of many parts of the universe working for a purpose cannot be explained by what?

Answer 5

Chance, there has to be an intelligent designer, this being God

Question 6

Quote from Paley on design?

Answer 6

‘ marks of design are too strong to be got over. Design must have had a designer. That designer must be a person. That person must have been God’

Question 7

What’s Thomas Aquinas analogy?

Answer 7

The arrow and archer

Question 8

How did Aquinas compare them?

Answer 8

Thing working towards a goal with an arrow and archer

Question 9

Quote from Aquinas?

Answer 9

‘ goal directed behaviour is observed in all bodies obeying natural laws, even when they lack awareness… But nothing lacking awareness can tend to a goal except it to be directed by someone with awareness and understanding; the arrow, for example, requires an archer. Everything in nature, therefore, is directed to its goal by someone with understanding, and this we call God’

Question 10

What’s Thomas Aquinas’ fifth way?

Answer 10

Beneficial order

Question 11

How does Aquinas argue the existence of God through beneficial order?

Answer 11

• by evidence of beneficial order in the universe - things work towards a purpose
• order couldn’t happen by chance
• many objects don’t have intelligence to work towards a purpose so must be directed by something with intelligence

Question 12

What did Aquinas observe?

Answer 12

• non-rational beings nevertheless act in a way that leads to the best result

( eg annual migration of vast Pods of whales travelling 20,000km to breed )

Question 13

About natural bodies from Aquinas?

Answer 13

Sun, moon and stars
Sun not intelligent being, however it knows to give us light and heat
Sun must be directed by an intelligent being
Aquinas said this was God