Teleological argument Flashcards
St Thomas Aquinas Fifth Way: concept of governance, archer and arrow analogy
Aquinas observed that natural objects and beings exhibit purposeful behaviour, moving toward specific goals or “telos.”
He argued that everything in the world operates according to a design from God, as these entities lack the intelligence to direct themselves toward their ends. To illustrate this, he compared the relationship between an archer and an arrow: while the arrow has no intelligence, it hits its target because the archer understands the goal and directs its movement. Aquinas put forth the idea that God’s ability to direct the behaviour of all things is superior to human capability, as God establishes natural laws that guide objects toward their intended purposes.
What does Telos mean?
where things move towards a certain goal or purpose
Paleys watch design?
he argus that the complexity and purpose observed in natural objects are best explained by an intelligent designer
he uses the analogy of a watch: if one found a watch on a rock, one would not assume it formed naturally, as its intricate parts work together to serve a specific purpose of keeping time
any alteration in the watch’s components would prevent it from functioning, indicating it could not have arisen by chance or existed forever
How does he extend this analogy to the universe?
complex and purposeful structures, like the human eye or bird wings, similarly imply a designer
he asserts that just as a watch requires a watchmaker, the complexity and purpose in nature suggest a universe maker, who must possess intelligence and intent to create such design
What is the quote?
every manifestation of design, which existed in the watch, exists in the works of nature
Analogies?
A key aspect of the argument is the use of analogies to provide a best explanation style of reasoning
when something cannot be directly observed, it is empirically valid to rely on analogies to explain it
if we clarify a similar phenomenon, it becomes reasonable to expect the unobservable counterpart to have a similar explanation
How has this method become common in science?
instance, scientists often test drugs on analogous creatures before human trials.
Swinburne?
notes that arguments by analogy are ‘common in scientific inference,’ allowing us to infer that if a known cause (z) produces an effect ( x), a similar cause will likely produce a similar effect in analogous situation
weaknesses/criticism?
Hume argues that just because 2 effects are similar, it does not imply they have similar causes
e.g both smoke come from fire and smoke comes from dry ice may appear alike, yet their causes = entirely different
similarly, while the complexity and purpose of the universe may resemble those of a manmade object, such as a watch, this does not mean that their causes = the same
Hume emphasizes that 2 similar effects can arise from different causes
There may be no analogies between their analogies?
Hume contends that even if we draw analogies between the natural world and manmade objects, we cannot assume their origins are similar
the origin of the universe is crucial to design arguments that seek to conclude a designing mind, but Hume highlights the potential radical differences in how the universe was created compared to anything we know
What did he question?
whether we have ever witnessed worlds forming, suggesting that the universe’s creation may be entirely unlike the creation of manmade items, such as watches
Consequently?
we cannot confidently claim that the origins of anything within the universe can be analogised with the universe itself
Hume further argues that artefacts - mechanical with mathematically precise designs which sets them apart from natural objects
Some may argue that Hume’s criticism is not successful?
Paley’s argument is not solely based on analogy
the core argument is that the complexity and intricacy found in both manmade and natural objects - like the eye - imply the necessity of a designer
this complexity where indivifual parts are meticulously assembled to achieve a specific function or purpose ( telos) suggests that such arrangements could not arise purely by chance
Thus, the arguments posits that nature requires a designer due to its inherent complexity, with analogies to manmade objects serving merely as illustrations of this idea
Quote about What hume says?
have worlds ever been formed under your eye?
Is God the best or only explanation?
strength of the telelogical argument?
a strength of the telelogical arguments is that aquinas presents it in a way that suggests a greater power as the designer of the universe without definitively proving a specific deity
