Design argument Flashcards
Is the design argument a priori or a posteriori. What does it mean?
a posteriori - Based on evidence and observation, makes inferences and leads to probability.
Where was Paley’s theory written
Natural Theology
Where was hume’s criticisms written?
Dialogues concerning natural religion Part 2
Whom are the 4 key scholars?
William paley - teleological argument for God
Frederick robert tennant - Anthropic principle
David hume - criticisms of teleological argument
John stuart mill - Design points to an evil creator
What is the ‘anthropic principle’
The universe is designed so intelligent life can develop
What is empiricism?
Knowledge via senses
Evidence of design…
What is Aquinas’s 5th way?
‘We cannot achieve our purpose without something to make it happen / guide us - this is god’
What is telos?
Purpose
What is Aquinas’s arrow £ archer analogy
The same way which the archer guides the arrow, god guides natural bodies on where to go
What are the 3 key words to describe paley’s argument
Empiricism, a posteriori, inductive
Explain paley’s complexity argument
Complexity of the world and eye, complexity of nature, complexity of watch
complexity must be a designer
Explain paley’s regularity argument
Regularity of orbits and seasons; regularity of a watch, the order seems to be result of a designer
Explain paley’s purpose argument
Machines are built for a purpose, which complexity and regularity implies. Our world has the same , therefore world must have a purpose
purpose indicates designer
What is paley’s argument in basis, including what he wrote in natural theology.
Stone and watch comparison, stone could’ve been there forever, watch indicates a maker, world is even more complex and therefore must also have a maker
Complexity, Regularity, Purpose
What are the key strengths to mention
Richard Swinburne - Ockham’s Razor ‘simplest explanation is the best’
Consistency with scripture
Empirically based answer
FR Tennant - Anthropic principle ‘all the boundary conditions being ordered is impossible without a creator’
What are Hume’s key criticisms?
Epicurean hypotheses - universe is here by chance
Analogy doesn’t work because the organic, not mechanistic, more comparable with a vegetable than a watch.
Who designed the designer?
Argument doesn’t prove Christian god, many designers? weak designer?
What is JS mills problem of evil criticism
The cruelty of nature means the designer is not omnibenevolent, nature doesn’t prove the existence of an all powerful god
What is Dawkins evolution criticism?
There is no watchmaker, natural selection is the blind watchmaker.
Chance, not design
