Design Argument

Question 1

What type of argument is the DA?

Answer 1

Inductive

Question 2

Why does the DA only a probability proof?

Answer 2

Inductive arguments are only probably likely

Question 3

What three observations did Paley make about the world?

Answer 3

Complexity, regularity, purpose

Question 4

Give an example of complexity in the universe

Answer 4

Eye, laws of nature, biological systems

Question 5

Give an example of regularity in the universe

Answer 5

Seasons, orbit of planets

Question 6

Give an example of purpose in the world

Answer 6

Eye, lacteal system, fish gills

Question 7

What is another name for the design argument?

Answer 7

The teleological argument

Question 8

What does ‘telos’ mean?

Answer 8

End goal/purpose

Question 9

What are inductive arguments?

Answer 9

Arguments which use premises to supply strong evidence for the truth of the conclusion

Question 10

Name of Paley’s book?

Answer 10

Natural Theology

Question 11

What is an analogy?

Answer 11

An inference where information or meaning is transferred from one subject to another

Question 12

Explain the watch analogy

Answer 12

A watch had complex parts, each with a function and the parts work together for a specific purpose so the watch must have been designed by a watch maker

The universe has parts that function together for a purpose therefore must have been designed by a universe maker

The universe is far grander than a watch so the designer of the universe must be greater - this is God

Question 13

What is design qua purpose?

Answer 13

Universe appears to fit together for a purpose e.g eye, lacteal system

Question 14

Finish the quote regarding the lacteal system; “the bitch, the rabbit, the cat, the rat, which have numerous litters,

Answer 14

“The paps are numerous .. the most simple account of this is to refer to a designing creator”

Question 15

What is design qua regularity?

Answer 15

Order in the universe such as orbit of planets is evidence of a God

Question 16

What kind of knowledge is used in the design argument?

Answer 16

A posterior

Question 17

What is an external agent?

Answer 17

A metaphysical being

Question 18

What was the name of Hume’s book?

Answer 18

Dialogues concerning natural religion

Question 19

True or false - Hume criticised Paley’s design argument

Answer 19

False - Paley published his work over 20 years after Hume died

Question 20

What is the argument from design?

Answer 20

Even if we accept that there is design in the universe, this does not mean that God is the designer

Question 21

What evidence is there to suggest that there is a flawed designer?

Answer 21

Evidence of flaws in the universe such as suffering and death

Question 22

Finish Hume’s quote; “This world for all he knows …

Answer 22

“Is very faulty and imperfect …. And was only the first rude essay of some infant deity who afterwards abandoned it”

Question 23

What is the God of classical theism?

Answer 23

Typically the God of Abrahamic faiths who is omnipotent, omnibenevolent and metaphysical

Question 24

Humes quote on eternity needing a cause

Answer 24

“How can anything that exists from eternity have a cause” - God can’t be an eternal being

Question 25

Humes criticisms - there may have been multiple designers

Answer 25

“Pantheon of gods”

Question 26

Hume’s criticism - no experience of universe making

Answer 26

Humans can only have experience of what they design and create so can only recognise human designed objects e.g ship making

Question 27

Hume’s criticism - vegetable analogy

Answer 27

The universe should not be compared to a vast machine, instead compare it to a vegetable - something that grows of its own accord

Question 28

Hume’s criticism - multiple Gods

Answer 28

A machine is often made by many hands. The universe was made by multiple Gods

Question 29

Hume’s criticism - ambiguous agents

Answer 29

The universe was created by agents who were morally ambiguous who could be unintelligent and/or evil

Question 30

Explain Epicurean hypothesis

Answer 30

The universe became ordered from a state of randomness

Question 31

Strength of the design argument - Swinburne’s quote

Answer 31

“Simplicity is always evidence for truth”

Question 32

Strength - how can flawed design I.e evil be explained?

Answer 32

Evil is unavoidable - free will defence, hick’s soul making theodicy, process theodicy

Question 33

Swinburne on evolution

Answer 33

Evolution obeys the laws of science designed by God

Question 34

What is the ‘fine-tuning’ argument?

Answer 34

All parts of the universe are fine tuned to ensure human survival

Question 35

Strength - inductive argument

Answer 35

Based on what we observe - we do observe appearance of design in the universe

Question 36

Weakness - too great a cause?

Answer 36

God is too great a cause than is needed to account for the appearance of design in the universe

Question 37

Weakness - existence of evil

Answer 37

There is too much evil in the world to see it as the design of the god of classical theism

Question 38

Weakness - support for vegetable analogy?

Answer 38

Evolution supports the idea that the universe is more like a vegetable

Question 39

Weakness - anthropomorphism

Answer 39

We have no experience of universe making so our ideas about it are anthropomorphic and limited

Question 40

Define proof

Answer 40

There is sufficient evidence for truth of a proposition

Question 41

How can inductive arguments amount to proofs?

Answer 41

When all the evidence points to the truth of conclusion

Question 42

How can inductive arguments not prove the existence of god?

Answer 42

Evidence provided by the DA does not amount to scientific proof

Question 43

Value - how does the DA support faith by reasoning?

Answer 43

Existence of God can be seen through observation without special revelation

Question 44

How can the DA be seen as a reasonable hypothesis?

Answer 44

It is one possible interpretation of the evidence - equally as valid as atheist claims

Question 45

No value - what does faith in God involve?

Answer 45

A personal commitment