Design Argument Flashcards
What type of argument is the DA?
Inductive
Why does the DA only a probability proof?
Inductive arguments are only probably likely
What three observations did Paley make about the world?
Complexity, regularity, purpose
Give an example of complexity in the universe
Eye, laws of nature, biological systems
Give an example of regularity in the universe
Seasons, orbit of planets
Give an example of purpose in the world
Eye, lacteal system, fish gills
What is another name for the design argument?
The teleological argument
What does ‘telos’ mean?
End goal/purpose
What are inductive arguments?
Arguments which use premises to supply strong evidence for the truth of the conclusion
Name of Paley’s book?
Natural Theology
What is an analogy?
An inference where information or meaning is transferred from one subject to another
Explain the watch analogy
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
What is design qua purpose?
Universe appears to fit together for a purpose e.g eye, lacteal system
Finish the quote regarding the lacteal system; “the bitch, the rabbit, the cat, the rat, which have numerous litters,
“The paps are numerous .. the most simple account of this is to refer to a designing creator”
What is design qua regularity?
Order in the universe such as orbit of planets is evidence of a God
What kind of knowledge is used in the design argument?
A posterior
What is an external agent?
A metaphysical being
What was the name of Hume’s book?
Dialogues concerning natural religion
True or false - Hume criticised Paley’s design argument
False - Paley published his work over 20 years after Hume died
What is the argument from design?
Even if we accept that there is design in the universe, this does not mean that God is the designer
What evidence is there to suggest that there is a flawed designer?
Evidence of flaws in the universe such as suffering and death
Finish Hume’s quote; “This world for all he knows …
“Is very faulty and imperfect …. And was only the first rude essay of some infant deity who afterwards abandoned it”
What is the God of classical theism?
Typically the God of Abrahamic faiths who is omnipotent, omnibenevolent and metaphysical
Humes quote on eternity needing a cause
“How can anything that exists from eternity have a cause” - God can’t be an eternal being
Humes criticisms - there may have been multiple designers
“Pantheon of gods”
Hume’s criticism - no experience of universe making
Humans can only have experience of what they design and create so can only recognise human designed objects e.g ship making
Hume’s criticism - vegetable analogy
The universe should not be compared to a vast machine, instead compare it to a vegetable - something that grows of its own accord
Hume’s criticism - multiple Gods
A machine is often made by many hands. The universe was made by multiple Gods
Hume’s criticism - ambiguous agents
The universe was created by agents who were morally ambiguous who could be unintelligent and/or evil
Explain Epicurean hypothesis
The universe became ordered from a state of randomness
Strength of the design argument - Swinburne’s quote
“Simplicity is always evidence for truth”
Strength - how can flawed design I.e evil be explained?
Evil is unavoidable - free will defence, hick’s soul making theodicy, process theodicy
Swinburne on evolution
Evolution obeys the laws of science designed by God
What is the ‘fine-tuning’ argument?
All parts of the universe are fine tuned to ensure human survival
Strength - inductive argument
Based on what we observe - we do observe appearance of design in the universe
Weakness - too great a cause?
God is too great a cause than is needed to account for the appearance of design in the universe
Weakness - existence of evil
There is too much evil in the world to see it as the design of the god of classical theism
Weakness - support for vegetable analogy?
Evolution supports the idea that the universe is more like a vegetable
Weakness - anthropomorphism
We have no experience of universe making so our ideas about it are anthropomorphic and limited
Define proof
There is sufficient evidence for truth of a proposition
How can inductive arguments amount to proofs?
When all the evidence points to the truth of conclusion
How can inductive arguments not prove the existence of god?
Evidence provided by the DA does not amount to scientific proof
Value - how does the DA support faith by reasoning?
Existence of God can be seen through observation without special revelation
How can the DA be seen as a reasonable hypothesis?
It is one possible interpretation of the evidence - equally as valid as atheist claims
No value - what does faith in God involve?
A personal commitment
