TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT Flashcards
What is Paley’s first design argument
Biological objects are finely tuned, if so they must be designed by God
Biological objects are finely tuned this is plausible because…
Using the analogy of the eye, the eye has intricate parts , if one is out of place people cant see, so it is intricately ordered so it can achieve a good outcome.
(biological) If so they must be designed by God because…..
Using the analogy of the watch, you come across a watch you can assume it has a designer because of it’s intricate parts, essentially you are right to think it has a designer because it is finely tuned likewise biological objects are finely tuned so must have a designer and the only designer powerful enough is God
What is Dawkin’s evolution argument
Things in nature come to be finely tuned through evolution, if so they do not have a purpose given to them by God
Things in nature come to be finely tuned through evolution this is plausible because…
The giraffe neck example, evolution explains fine tuning through two mechanisms, random variation and natural selection. Some giraffes lived longer because their long necks enabled them access to food while the shorter necked ones died off. this is natural selection. This provides an explanation for fine tuning.
(evolution) if so, they don’t need a purpose given to them by God. This is plausible because…
Once you have an explanation for fine tuning which is evolution we don’t need an extra one which is God, believing in God becomes unnecessary.
What s Aquinas’s fifth way.
Things regularly achieve good outcomes, if so they must be guided to those outcomes by God
Things regularly achieve good outcomes. This is plausible because…
A series of examples, the sun rises everyday which means plants can grow and it regularly rains which also helps plants grow and provides animals with water to drink.
(aquinas) If so, they must be guided towards those outcomes by God. This is plausible because…
The analogy of the archer. If you imagine seeing an arrow flying towards a target you are right to assume that arrow has an archer because arrows don’t go towards targets (good outcomes) on their own. Likewise, if things regularly achieve good outcomes they must be guided towards them by God.
What is Paley’s second design argument.
The solar system is finely tuned for life, if so it must have been designed by someone - God.
The solar system is finely tuned for life. This is plausible because…
The Earth is set up in exactly the correct position for life. If it was too close to the sun it would be too hot, if it was too far it would be too cold. The position of the Earth depends on its mass, the sun’s mass and the gravitational constant hence the solar system is finely tuned for life
(solar system) if so it must have been designed by God, This is plausible because…
These things appear to be intricately arranged for a good outcome, the existence of life. If it is finely tuned it must have a designer - God.
What is Hume’s underdetermination of theory by evidence?
you can’t be certain of a cause by only looking at its effect , if so you cant be certain that God created the universe by simply looking at it.
You cant be certain of a cause by only looking at its effect. This is plausible because..
Hume gives the example of the weighing scales. If you see just one side of the scales you can’t tell what the other side contains. It could be either a load of gold or a load of feathers. If we generalise this we can conclude that if you have seen an effect you dont know its cause
If so, you cant be certain God created the universe by simply looking at it. This is plausible because…
This is plausible because we have only seen the universe but not God. Instead it could be a team of angels, a demiurge or a giant spider
What is Tennant’s argument from beauty?
The solar system is finely tuned to create experiences of beauty. If so, then it must have been designed by God.
The solar system is finely tuned to create experiences of beauty. This is plausible because..
You can use the examples of the stars, the stars twinkle because of a distant interaction of the light from the stars and we can see them because of the translucency of the atmosphere.
(beauty) If so, then it must have been designed by God. This is plausible because..
This intricacy creates a good outcome (beauty) - and if something is intricate you are right to assume that it has a creator.
Who is Paley + Includes what section
An Enlightenment thinker, writing after Aristotelian science who believed you should prove God’s existence rather than just rely on the authority of the Church. He argued that the intricate make-up of the world proved that it has been designed
Who is Dawkins + includes what section
A contemporary evolutionary scientist and anti-theist who believes science will eventually solve every mystery in the world so a belief in God is irrational. His argument focuses on evolution and how it explains fine tuning through two mechanisms : random variation and natural selection. Random variation being differences in a species caused by genetic mutation.
Who is Aquinas + includes what section
Aquinas was inspired by Aristotle and wanted to prove how his pagan philosophy can be compatible with Christianity. He believed
Who is Hume + includes what sections
Hume was an enlightenment thinker that was an empiricist and skeptic. He believed that the foundation of our knowledge came from our senses and made him skeptical about the things we cant sense including God.
