Arguments for the existence of God Flashcards
describe Paley’s design argument in three words
A posterior - its empirical in nature / based on sense experiences
Inductive - Based on probability and not knock down proof
Analogical - based on comparisons between two features of things
teleological - concerned with the purpose or end
Whats approach is used by Paley’s argument
Natural theology -It makes no appeal to any forms of special revelation , it uses observation and scientific evidence
CONTEXT - Paley’s book
in Paley’s book “NATURAL THEOLOGY”reference is made to Genesis 1:1 at the end just to point out agreement between natural and revealed theology
What three observations of the world is Paley’s argument based on
- complexity -
- purpose
- regularity
What is natural theology
The view that questions about Gods exigence nature and attributes can be answered by reasoning ,science history and observations rather then revelations
Paley’s analogy
when walking across rough ground stubbing ones toe against a stone would not raise question of how the stone was to come there .In coming across a watch it would be reasonable to do so
what is the significance of the watch
1-Observations would point to complexity and suitability of its parts to its role and arrangement to serve purpose
2- This could have occurred by chance .A complete explanation would require reference to a purpose giver
3-an intelligent watch maker must have designed it .
what is the Link watch to the universe
1-The universe is complex , it shows the same precise suitability of parts and arrangement to serve purpose
2-This could have occurred by chance but a complete explanation requires a universe designer
what are some illustrations given by Paley to support his argument
- The eye is superbly adapted for vision
- The fins and gills of fish are perfect for living water
- Birds bones wings and feathers are perfect for flight
- regularity in the universe of planetary orbits on the earth of each season
Quote from Paley
“The marks of design are too strong to be gotten over .Design must have had a designer .The design must have had a person .That person is God “-Natural theology
DAVID HUME - design argument criticism DO NOT FORGET
Hume did not directly refer to Paley’s argument directly , however he criticized design arguments( Hume was writing before Paley “
HUME - rejection of the idea of design
says mechanistic analogies are inappropriate
“ The exact similarities of the cases gives us a perfect assurance of a similar outcome but the evidence are less strong when the cases are then perfectly alike “ , like effects do not have like causes
HUME-comment on order
- Hume says that given the constantly changing arrangement of its atoms over an infinite period of time , it was inevitable that order would eventually emerge
- He also suggested that the possibility that the world alternates between periods of chaos and order and by sheer chance , existence is currently in a period of order
HUME- little can be said about designer
the mechanistic analogy is anthropomorphic
-Humans have no knowledge about how universe are made , this means we can know nothing about the capacities or nature of any universe designer
HUME - the problem of evil
THOMAS AQUINAS
St Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) argued that the apparent order and complexity in the world is proof of a designer and that this designer is God. William Paley (1743 – 1805) argued that the complexity of the world suggests there is a purpose to it.
HUME
When nature has operated in such variety of ways on this small planet ,can we think that she incessantly copies herself throughout the rest of immense universe
why assume that the natural realm exhibits evidence of natural realm rather then more nature
What type of argument is paleys argument
its aposteriori meaning that its based on sense experience
furthermore its inductive -inductive reasoning is when we use premise to supply strong evidence for the truth of the conclusion
how did paley formulate his inductive design argument
some objects in the world show clear evidence that they were designed because they exhibit complexity and regularity from which we can infer that they were made for a purpose
The universe appears to exhibit complexity and regularity from which we can infer that it was made for a purpose
so it was likely that the universe was designed
What is paleys analogy
A watch has complex parts each with a function and parts work together for a specific purpose
so the watch must have been designed by a watchmaker
similarly the universe must have been designed by a universe maker
the universe is a far more wonderful design than a watch so its designer is much greater than any human
the universe designer is God
state one of humes criticisms of the design argument 1
even if granted the universe that the universe was designed there is no evidence that the designer was the god of christian theism
elaborate on humes first criticisms
Paley infers that the designer of the universe is all powerful all loving God of christian theism although such inference might be true it nevertheless out of proportion to the evidence if there is a designer a lesser being could be responsible
what are the alternative conclusions hume comes to
whenever we see intellegent minds we find them attached to physical bodies so there is no obvious reason to suppose that designer of universe was metaphysical being hume speculated that designer may have a body and was mortal and did
design is a feature of team work of many people so there is no reasons to suppose designer was one god
other criticisms
Analogies between the way the universe works and machines are unsound “the world is like a vegetable and vegetables grow by themselves without the need of designer “
Hume seems to support evolution hes supported by some biologists who share the belief that evolution is not directed by anyone .
