Does God Exist? Flashcards
What is the design argument
- The universe is complex and well ordered
- Complexity and order are evidence of design
- Design is the production of a designer
- Therefore the universe must have a designer
- The designer is God
Who is the key thinker of the design argument
William paley
What are the problems with the design argument
• Who designed the designer?
• Could order be the result of random chance?
• The world doesn’t always seem well designed (see natural evil)
• Evolution can explain the appearance without the need for God
What did Richard Dawkins say about the design argument
Evolution by natural selection creates the illusion of design
What is the argument from miracles
- Miracles are violations of laws of nature
- Only God could be the cause of these miracles
- Therefore God exists
What are the problems of the argument from miracles
Many apparent miracles can be explained by science.
Reports of miracles are often untrustworthy.
If God intervenes on some occasions to perform miracles, why doesn’t he intervene at other times to stop evil?
What is the Big Bang theory
The belief that the universe began from a singularity 13.7 billion years ago
It underwent rapid, hot expansion and is still expanding today
As the universe cooled stars, planets and galaxies started to form
What are the problems with the Big Bang theory
Since the universe had a beginning it must have a cause - this must be God
Since time and space began with the Big Bang the cause of the universe must be a timeless, transcendent being – this must be God.
What is the theory of evolution
Organisms have adapted and changed to their environment over long periods of time
Survival of the fittest
Given enough time, natural selection can give rise to new species
How does the theory of evolution challenge the design argument
It provides evidence that things have adapted to become more complex
Does not require the belief in a designer to explain complexity
What are the problem with the theory of evolution
Evolution could be a part of gods design- nature has been set up to produce complex beings through natural selection
What is natural evil
Suffering not due to human actions eg natural disasters
What is moral evil
Suffering caused by human actions eg murder rape genocide
What is the logical problem of evil
1.If God is all powerful he would be able to stop suffering
2.If God is all loving he would want to stop suffering
3.But evil exists
4.So either God is not all powerful, or not all loving, or he doesn’t exist at all.
What is the evidential problem of evil
The more evidence their is of intense and pointless evil the less likely it is that God exists
