Arguments for the existence of God based on OBSERVATION Flashcards
What is the Cosmological argument?
Aims to prove God’s existence by saying God is the explanation for the origin of the universe.
Which philosopher presented the five ways?
Aquinas
Which book contains Aquinas’s five ways?
-Summa Theologica
-Attempted to harmonise the ideas from Aristotle with Christianity.
Name the first 3 ways.
-motion
-causation
-contingency
What is Aquinas’s first way?
-things being acted on and being changed(passive)
-things change because of this
-Infinite Regress is rejected
(‘but this cannot go on for infinity’)
Which way concludes:
There must be a unmoved mover which started the process of motus, God.
First Way
Which Part of Aristotle’s Theory did Aquinas take influence from for his first way?
Everything is in a state from potentiality to actuality.
e.g Kettle
What is a difference between Aquinas and Aristotle (first way)?
AQUINAS=God’s deliberate act of will
ARISTOTLE=PM unknowingly acts by attraction
What is Aquinas’s second way about?
-Things acting and bringing about change
-Structured in a similar manner to the first way
-suggests all effects come from cause this cannot be infinite
Which way concludes:
Therefore there must be a uncaused causer,God.
The second way.
What is Aquinas’s third way about?
-if all things are contingent then that means at some point nothing would have existed
-Something necessary must have existed
(‘There must exist something who’s is necessary’)
Which way concludes:
Must be a being which itself is necessary.
The third way.
What is the Teleological Argument?
Using observations of certain features in the universe such as its ordered and purposefulness nature.
What is Aquinas’s Fifth way about?
-Things which lack knowledge act for a purpose
-All natural things have telos and this comes from god
-God guides all these things to achieve it’s purpose
What does Aquinas propose for his Fifth way?
The analogy of the Archer
What is the Analogy of the Archer?
-Nature is like a arrow shot from it’s archer’s bow.
-Has direction and purpose and moves towards it goal
-Everything has a purposefulness nature
What example can be used to help Aquinas for ‘everything has a purposefulness nature?
ACORN has the goal of being a oak tree
It will behave in a certain way to fulfil it purpose
How did Aristotle influence Aquinas’s Fifth way?
-Teleological nature
-Take us of final cause
HOWEVER, he rejects that purpose comes naturally and argues there must be a intelligent designer.
Aside from Aquinas who also proposed a Teleological Argument?
Paley
Why did Paley Write his own?
-During the time Paley was writing teleological arguments were at the height of there popularity due to scientific advancements
-mechanical analogies were also being made due to the industrial revolution
What analogy did Paley put forwards to show complexity in the universe?
The analogy of the watchmaker
Explain Paley’s Watchmaker analogy.-
-There are things which do not seek purpose,
-however sometimes we create explanation in terms of design we don’t imagine they come naturally.
-He uses the watch’s complexity to suggests there is purpose.
-for example we are aware that it has been constructed intentionally to carry out purpose.
What does Paley propose for the nature of God?
Analogy of the eye.
Explain the analogy of the eye?
-The eye is safely tucked away in the sockets of a skull
-He uses this to show that not only god makes intricate thins but also cares for them
-He made this to conclude that it is a theistic God,ombnibenevolance
What goes against his eye analogy?
The Disteleological argument.
Eye Problems
What is Design Qua Purpose
-The watch is complex and ordered
-without the features it wouldn’t be able to function
-The watch didnt come from chance e.g stone
-Assume that it has a designer which is a watchmaker
What is Design Qua Regularity?
-Was inspired by Newtons law of motion and Gravity
-Universe is like clockwork it is in a predictable pattern
-Orbit of planets is so regular
-Therefore there must be a higher power GOD
Who studies Paley’s work and challenges using chance?
Charles Darwin
What did Charles Darwin say?
-Evolution creates a illusion of design
-Natural selection of Finches on Galapagos Islands
-beaks were all shaped differently depending on food course on island
-Those finches with less successful beaks would die out to leave the successful ones to adapt
Why does Charles Darwin’s use of natural selection challenge the teleological Argument?
It is nature against nature so therefore survival is creating the change.
