Teleological

Question 0

Aquinas

Answer 0

Five ways to prove existence of God. Fifth way forms part of teleological argument
Design Qua Purpose
Everything works to a purpose (even irrational)
purpose must be given by some ‘external agent’ (as the arrow is to the archer)
“and this we call God’

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

Also known as designed argument
A posteriori argument (evidence)
World was designed by an external force

Question 2

Paley (first part)

Answer 2

Design Qua Purpose

The parts of the universe appear to fit together for a purpose. Watch analogy - “Suppose I was to come across a stone on a heath and I asked myself how it got there” “I would be satisfied to say it has always been there” He questioned why this explanation could not also form for the watch. The intricate parts are too detailed and purposeful “to produce motion” that it must have been designed

The universe appears to be the same - Lacteal system “is a constant wonder” with the proportion of teats per number of young too intricate

For Paley, designing creator was God

Question 3

Paley (second part)

Answer 3

(Design qua regularity)

If we look at the order and regularity (e.g. The Solar System with Newton’s laws of motion), everything follows same laws. Can’t be change. External agent to impose order.

Question 4

Tennant

Answer 4

Anthropic Principle - purposefully constructed to support life. even a tiny change and intelligent life wouldn’t exist. Three natural evidence for a creator:

1) The world can be analysed in a rational manner
2) Basic necessities for life
3) Existence of intelligent life

World is not chaotic but orchestrated to allow life - God’s plan

Aesthetic argument
Nature is beautiful “saturated in beauty”

Question 5

Swinburne

Answer 5

Mathematical probability:

More probable for design than just happened

Question 6

Brown

Answer 6

Ozone layer can’t be chance
“wall which prevents death”
“right thickness”

Question 7

Convincing/un

Answer 7

A posteriori
Design is true based on science (e.g. discovery of new layer of eye)
Solar System is ordered
Paley’s watch analogy is simple to provides us with an understanding - makes it ludicrous for lack of design)
Evolutionists - Aesthetic argument
Lots of contributors

Hume (God transcends human understanding) and so a man-made anology can’t suffice. watch has lots of makers - pantheon of Gods?
Hume - World is not perfect but flawed, is the creator flawed?
Hume argued that if we see order and purpose, it’s just there. To say God is behind the design is ‘gratuitous’
Mill argues nature is ‘guilty’ of crimes it goes unpunished for (e.g. 800 dead from 2004 Bangladesh floods). Humans are punished, why isn’t nature? Intelligent design?
Kant argues the foundation (perception of design) is a trick from our mind - we convince ourself there is order
How come there is evil?
An alternative (Evolution)