Design Argument Critiques Flashcards
Who was David Hume?
-An 18th century empiricist
-he anticipated weaknesses for the design argument before it was even put forward by Paley
What 2 weaknesses of the design argument were anticipated by Hume?
-One significant weakness of Paley’s Design Argument is that it struggles to account for the existence of evil and suffering in the world, which challenges the notion of a benevolent, omnipotent designer
-A second major weakness lies in the fact that alternative explanations, such as the Epicurean Hypothesis and Darwinian evolution, show that order in the universe does not necessarily imply a designer at all
How did Hume argue that the design argument failed to account for the existence of evil and suffering in the world?
-David Hume, building upon the classical challenge originally posed by Epicurus, restates the logical problem of evil: if God is all-powerful and morally perfect, why does so much suffering exist? -According to Hume, “the existence of evil is incompatible with a morally perfect and omnipotent deity.” The natural world, which Paley argues reflects the wisdom and goodness of its creator, also contains diseases, natural disasters, and predation—all of which seem difficult to reconcile with the idea of a caring divine mind
-Hume powerfully asserts, “there can be no grounds for such influence when there are so many misfortunes in the universe,” suggesting that the suffering we observe stands in stark contrast to the qualities traditionally attributed to the God of classical theism
What question does Hume’s critique about the evil and suffering the world raise?
-If the universe is the product of a divine designer, it raises the question: what kind of designer allows such immense pain and disorder to exist?
-Rather than supporting theism, the observable suffering in the world could point towards a flawed or indifferent creator or no creator at all
-Thus, while Paley emphasises beauty and complexity, he overlooks the darker aspects of nature, weakening the overall persuasiveness of his argument
What is the Epicurean Hypothesis?
-The Epicurean Hypothesis, echoed by Hume, proposes that the appearance of order could emerge naturally from the random motion of atoms over an infinite amount of time
-Hume states, “it is not evident, from the phenomena of the world, that the order in nature must be the product of an intelligent designer,” directly challenging Paley’s assumption that design is the only explanation for complexity.
How can the Epicurean Hypothesis be backed up by Charles Darwin and evolution?
-His view is reinforced by Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, which offers a compelling, naturalistic account of how complex life evolved through survival advantages—not through intentional creation
What is a quote from Darwin that proves evolution is a better explanation for the world than God?
-Darwin observed that “there is grandeur in this view of life,” suggesting that the development of intricate biological systems, such as the eye, can be explained by gradual, adaptive processes»_space;this understanding removes the need for a divine being to explain the complexity that Paley identifies
-Additionally, the harsh realities of natural selection (such as competition, extinction, and genetic mutation) further weaken the idea of a benevolent designer, aligning instead with Hume’s view that nature often operates in harsh and indifferent ways
Why may Hume’s “suffering” argument be weak?
-Paley argued that evil may be unavoidable in order for God to bring about good (Hick, freewill defense..)
How would Richard Swinburne respond to Darwin’s evolution argument?
-Swinburne challenges the claim that evolution removes the need for a designer by arguing that evolution itself depends on the laws of nature (such as physics, biology, and chemistry) which do not explain their own existence
-He points out that these laws are simply “there,” and asks where they come from in the first place. In his view, their very existence still requires an explanation
-Swinburne argues that “the most natural answer is to suppose that God made them,” suggesting that even if evolution explains how life develops, the conditions that allow evolution to happen at all are best explained by a divine designer
