Aquinas' Teleological Argument

Question 1

What does the teleological argument attempt to do?

Answer 1

Prove God’s existence by claiming that everything exists seems to have a purpose which suggests a designer (God)

Question 2

What did Aquinas say about nature?

Answer 2

Things in nature act ‘always or nearly in the same way’.

Question 3

According to Aquinas, what does everything follow?

Answer 3

Everything, even inanimate objects, follow Natural Laws which are predictable e.g. dropping a pen

Question 4

What does order in nature bring about?

Answer 4

Good results

Question 5

What are the two types of design argument?

Answer 5

Design Qua Purpose and Design Qua Regularity

Question 6

Everything has a…?

Answer 6

Goal or purpose

Question 7

What to inanimate objects need in order to achieve their goal or purpose?

Answer 7

They need to be directed by something (an intelligent being) e.g. an arrow needs to be directed to its target by an archer

Question 8

What can orderly processes in nature not happen by?

Answer 8

Chance

Question 9

Who does Aquinas say is then ‘intelligent being’ which directs things to their goal?

Answer 9

GOD!

Question 10

What are the strengths of Aquinas?

Answer 10

The anthropic principle (Tennant) who uses the theory of evolution to support the TA (design rather than chance), The Aesthetic Principle (why do things look nice? They do not NEED to look nice for survival so this suggests a designer), Swinburne said it is more probable than the universe was designed than it occurred by chance

Question 11

What are the Weaknesses of Aquinas?

Answer 11

Not everything in nature has a purpose e.g appendix, there are elements of bad design e.g natural disasters which does not point to a designer, what kind of designer are we inferring because it could be a malevolent designer