Believing in God - argument from design

Question 1

What did Newton believe?

Answer 1

that such intricate designs as the human thumb, unique to each individual must have had a designer

Question 2

Who was William Paley?

Answer 2

a priest who created a book about the design argument based on the idea of the watchmaker

Question 3

What is Paley’s idea?

Answer 3

a watch needs a watchmaker, therefore the universe is far more complex than watch, and so the universe needs a universemaker.

the only designer could be God, so God must exist

Question 4

Why might Paley’s idea be wrong?

Answer 4

• his idea is too ambiguous
• just because a watch can said be designed, doesn’t mean the universe is designed
• science provides an alternative explantation of the sign in the universe

Question 5

what is causation?

Answer 5

idea that everything has been caused by something else

Question 6

Name some points of evidence of causation in the world

Answer 6

• there are causes and effects
• everything we do causes an effect
• science has developed info that knows single causes and effects of specific things

Question 7

Why might some disagree with the causation argument?

Answer 7

• why should causes stop at God - if everything needs a cause, then God needs a cause
• universe is eternal and it’s process goes on forever