eval the teleological argument Flashcards
1
Q
strength - based on our experience of order and purpose…
A
- uses empirical evidence
- based on observation of apparent design
- we can all share in this experience
2
Q
strength - it uses a scientific method to arrive at this conclusion…
A
- uses observation of nature and the world, hypothesis and conclusion
3
Q
strength - Swinburne cumulative case…
A
- Swinburne argues that when used as part of a cumulative argument it strengthens the argument for gods existence
4
Q
strength - Swinburne probability…
A
- Swinburne gives the argument of probability
- design is more probable than chance
5
Q
strength - science is limited…
A
- some contemporary scientists support design
6
Q
strength - Polkinghorne…
A
- the big bang and evolution are part of gods design
7
Q
weakness - Hume…
A
- Hume is an empiricist
- he accepts things as true when there is empirical evidence for it
- even if there is a designer, why must it be God
- this argument makes a leap from saying there is a designer to saying it is god
8
Q
weakness - the universe is unique…
A
- we therefore have no bases is inferring that there is anything like a human designer behind it
- ‘if we see a house, we conclude that it had an architect because we have experienced it, but the universe is not like a house’
- we cannot with the same certainty infer a similar cause, the analogy is imperfect
9
Q
weakness - Flew…
A
- leaky buckets analogy
10
Q
weakness - chance…
A
- the order of the universe may be a result of chance
11
Q
weakness - why only one god?…
A
- could it be a team of gods?
- if there is a designer, what explanation do we have for the designer?
- although there is evidence of cause and design, there is no empirical evidence for god
12
Q
weakness - Paley’s analogy is flawed…
A
- the argument compared the universe to a machine or artefact when it is really more like a living organism
- paley’s analogy is unsound, humanity and nature is organic and dissimilar to a machine which is mechanical
- the universe shows signs of disorder and defects, for example, bad design such as blind and deaf people
- there is also a great deal of random suffering as well as natural disasters such as floods
13
Q
weakness - Darwin and natural selection…
A
- Darwin proposed the theory that random chance organises life in the universe according to the principles of evolution and natural selection
- natural selection works on a principle of survival of the fittest - the strongest survive and pass on their genes
14
Q
weakness - Dawkin and evolution…
A
- evolution explains the signs of design
- Dawkin uses Darwin’s theory to argue that evolution gives the impression of design
15
Q
weakness - god of the gaps…
A
- the argument is guilty of arguing for a ‘god of the gaps’ - what we cannot explain, we say it is god
16
Q
weakness - design is only apparent…
A
- there may be order but there is no evidence of intention
