Design (Teleological)

Question 1

What type of argument is Paley’s design argument?

Answer 1

1. aposteriori
2. inductive
3. analogical
4. natural theology

Question 2

What is Paley’s argument?

Answer 2

Watch vs stone
Watch has CPO so must have a designer
Universe has CPO
Universe has an infinitely intelligent designer (God)

Question 3

What is Paley’s exact quotation from his book ‘natural theology’?

Answer 3

“The marks of design are too strong to be gotten over. Design must have had a designer. That designer must have been a person. That person is God” - Paley

Question 4

What are the criticisms of Paley’s design argument + responses?

Answer 4

1. No need for a creator
   a) random colliding particles - infinite time, finite matter
   b) Evolution - the universe is more like a vegetable, rather than a machine

Response:
Hubble telescope says that the universe has been around for max 14bn years, and mathematicians say that the probability of even the fastest and most favourable rate of collision and mutation, is essentially 0.

2. Spatial disorder (pain, disorder, suffering)
   a) bed design = imperfect creator
   b) evil and suffering = evil designer

Response: Stars only shine in darkness, forgiveness, kindness, vale of soul making
Freewill defence and process theodicy

3. Our universe doesn’t require an infinitely powerful being.

Response: An omnipotent God isn’t obliged to create an infinite number of universes just to prove that he could. He still has the capacity.

Question 5

What is Isaac Newton’s story that is a design argument?

Answer 5

He leaves a perfect replica/model of the solar system and when his friend sees it, he says that it created itself. His friend says that he’s not that stupid, and Newton says he thinks his friend to be the same type of person who thinks a infinitely complicated universe created itself.

Question 6

What is the conclusion/ EV’s to the design argument?

Answer 6

1. Presents faith as reasonable, as it can be empirically verified
2. Should be used in accordance with the cosmo and onto, religious exp/numninous and miracles
3. W.J believe in vs believe that
4. 3 kinds of knowledge:
   - prop - arguments for his existence
   - aqu - religious experiences
   - ability - WJ
5. Encourages humility
6. The romance of epistemic distance (Hick)