Design argument Flashcards
thinker associated with intelligent design
William Paley
design argument, 3P
p1 if one were to come across a watch, we assume there’a a watch maker
p2 a watch is complex, must have a creator
p3 if we were to come across something not man-made, we assume there’s a maker
C therefore universe is complex, must have a creator
what type of argument does Paley use and what does it mean
teleological argument
things are designed for a purpose
what two things does paley use in his argument
purpose and regularity
what is paley’s point about purpose
more purpose of a watch than of a stone, that’s the difference
zoomed out, looking at the universe as a whole everything has a purpose
what is paley’s point about regularity
unreasonable to assume a watch did not have a watch maker, same applies for a stone
a weakness of Paley’s argument
we see nature, like weeds, grow independently
Aquinas’ design argument 3
nature is not chaotic, everything is organised to get the best result
inanimate world can’t have organised itself by chance as it lacks directing intelligence
arrow and archer analogy, in the same way god directs the natural world as a whole
3 weaknesses of Aquinas’ design argument
God is complex, didn’t someone create him, infinite regress, why God not chance
natural disasters
evolution
What is Hume and what does this mean
empiricist
true knowledge comes from sense experience
Hume’s first objection about limitation
our experience of the universe is limited
we have experience of watch/watch make, building/architect
we have no experience of the universe being designed or built
Hume’s second objection about analogies
analogies do not work well
not enough similarities between a watch and the universe
universe is more like a vegetable
would make more sense if it reproduced itself
Hume’s third objection about cause
we cannot know anything about the cause from effect
cause of the universe is designer
designer is god
god is christian god
could be more than one god, can’t infer christian traits
who objects to Hume and what is it
Swinburne
Ockham’s razor, simplest hypothesis should be chosen
multiple designers is unnecessary
What is Kant’s objection to the design argument
respects it
fails to show an intelligent designer
the idea of God goes beyond the world
no apodictic certainty
