Teleological Argument Flashcards
What is the teleological argument?
A way of proving the existence of a creator using the natural elements of design we see in the universe
What does telos mean?
Purpose/end
What is the basic argument?
Bevause the universe is so complex, it must have been designed, and since humans aren’t capable of designing such a complex thing, it must have been designed by an all might being we call gos
What is Aquinas’ fifth way?
Whatever lacks knowledge cannot move towards an end, unless it is directed by some being endowed with knowledge
Eg the arrow is directed by the archer
Does everything have a purpose?
Modern biology denies this, some things don’t have a purpose, and even if it does, is it possible that we have given it this purpose instead of the purpose being inherent within the thing itself?
What is William payleys design argument?
It’s the most popular theory, he uses an anology of a watch, since a watch has many different parts, they must have been purposely constructed this way. His argument is based on analogy, the belief that from reaching a conclusion about one object, a similar conclusion can be made about a similar one
Why do we conclude that the watch has a maker instead of being naturally occurring?
The parts work towards specific ends, but all the parts work together to a united end
Examples of this in nature?
Photosynthesis
What about things that generate other things?
This doesn’t remove the need for an ultimate designer, something must have started this process
What must the designer be?
External to the artefact
Powerful and intelligent enough to produce the artefact
Personal, since purposiveness requires intent and intelligence
What is the evolution critique?
Different species we see are a result of change and development, characteristics are inherited based in the environment they are in,
Order in the world does not require us to refer to god we have natural processes, it is irrational to invoke god and evolution, scientific processes are suffiencitn
Payleys purpose ness
Forms are adapted and appear just right, can be explained by evelolition
What is David humes critique?
Is the analogy between nature and artefacts really valid?
If yes, other possibilities could weaken this argument
If there is that much similarity between human artefacts and the universe, then god must be very similar to a human designer, meaning that he is limited, just a glorified human being, which does against payley
What is FR tenants anthropic principle?
There are many boundary conditions, like the Big band expansion rate. They have to be finely tuned to be able to work, this points to god designer who aims the creation and maintences of human life
The chance of these things happening in a universe that didn’t have the right constitution to allow life is extremely low.
What
Extra
A lot about nature doesn’t have any obvious survival value, like self awareness
What does Hume say?
Evil suffering and poor design undermine the goodness/ intelligence of the designer
