Cosmological and Teleological (A Posterori) Flashcards
What are the cosmological and teleological arguments based on?
Observation
What is the teleological argument?
Arguments from design. Observes that parts of nature (e.g. the human eye) are so complex and perfectly suited for their purpose that they can only be explained with an intelligent designer.
Main evidence for teleological design theory.
Aquinas’ 5th way - Summa Theologica and Paley’s watch maker argument and Richard Swinburne
Paley and Aristotle design argument
Just as a watch implies a watch maker - a complicated world implies a designer. Paley considers the difference between designed and non -designed (e.g. a rock) Aristotle uses real life examples such as a tree to show how all objects have INTRINSIC FINALITY, AKA a purpose in life (its final cause)
Strengths of Aristotle’s argument
Intrinsic finality, everything has a purpose. Explains things that science can’t, so it fits into scientific discoveries well.
Doesn’t rely on metaphors/analogies that can’t be compared.
Fits into a larger framework of philosophy such as with his prime mover and four causes.
Aquinas 5th way evidence
The 5th way is DESIGN.
“Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God.”
Things act towards their telos e.g. plants grow towards the sun to photosynthesise. This cannot be explained by luck, there must be an intelligence guiding it e.g. God.
Bertrand Russell
universe is a ‘Brute Fact’
Issues with teleological argument (A02)
Evolution - Darwins theory of evolution suggests design can appear without the need for a designer.
Weak analogy? Cannot compare God to a watch maker. Metaphor should be strong and similar to situation.
Epicurus hypothesis (chance) - if time is infinite and physical matter is finite then it will eventually arrange itself into these combinations. AKA CHANCE
Design qua regularity vs. design qua purpose.
Order in the universe e.g. days and years vs. perfect for its purpose can’t be chance e.g. eye.
Hume quote on Teleological
‘Can believe in the order of the universe without having to believe in the existence of God.’ World is more like a vegetable than a designed watch.
What is the cosmological argument?
Starts from the observation that everything has an explanation. Seeks to explain the existence of the universe e.g. God. An infinite chain of causation is not possible.
Aquinas 1st way for cosmological
MOTION (unmoved mover putting everything else into motion). Everything in motion must have been put into motion by something else. The mover must have been moved by something else - infinite chain is not possible, therefore a first mover is needed.
Aquinas’ 2nd way - cosmological
CAUSATION - nothing can be the efficient cause of itself therefore the cause must have had something that caused it. Infinite regression is not possible, therefore God was the first cause.
Aquinas’ 3rd Way - cosmological
Everything that exists contingently did not exist as one point, so there is a point where nothing existed, but that would mean that nothing could begin to exist. Therefore there must be something that does not exist contingently - which is God.
Arguments against Cosmological
-Maybe an infinite sequence is possible. Therefore a first mover or cause is not needed.
-Fallacy of composition - just because everything within the universe has a cause, it doesn’t follow that the universe itself has a cause. BERTRAND RUSSELL
-David Hume - why can’t the universe be its own necessary cause. the universe is a ‘brute fact’
