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Year 1 Philosophy of Religion > Teleological Argument for the Existence of God > Flashcards

Teleological Argument for the Existence of God Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the key terms for the teleological argument?

A

Telos, design, Designer, design qua purpose, design qua regularity

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2
Q

Which of Aquinas’s Five Ways is his teleological argument?

A

Four

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3
Q

What example does Aquinas use?

A

The arrow needs to be directed to its end/target by an archer

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4
Q

What does Aquinas observe in nature?

A

Inanimate things in nature act the in the same, or nearly the same way to fulfil their purpose

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5
Q

What does Aquinas mean by inanimate objects/beings in nature?

A

Unthinking objects / beings

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6
Q

How do inanimate things in nature achieve their end/purpose?

A

Directed towards their purpose by an intelligence

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7
Q

What is Aquinas’ conclusion?

A

The intelligence directing nature’s inanimate objects towards their purpose, is God

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8
Q

What is William Paley’s most famous analogy?

A

The Watch Analogy

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9
Q

Who are the main two scholars who devised Teleological Arguments?

A

Thomas Aquinas and William Paley

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10
Q

How do inanimate things in nature achieve their end/purpose?

A

They are directed towards their purpose by an intelligence

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11
Q

What is the main point of Paley’s analogy?

A

The watch has the PURPOSE of telling the time; it must have been designed by a watchmaker for this purpose.

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12
Q

How does Paley relate his analogy to things within the universe?

A

There are things in the universe that also have a purpose; purpose indicates design; therefore there must be a Designer.

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13
Q

What are Paley’s three other examples of design qua purpose?

A

The eye (purpose to see), bird’s wing (purpose to fly), lacteal system in mammals (purpose - feeding number of young reproduced)

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14
Q

What are Paley’s two examples of design qua regularity?

A

Rotation of the planets and gravity

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15
Q

What is Paley’s conclusion?

A

The Designer of purpose and regularity in the universe is God.

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16
Q

What does design qua purpose mean?

A

Design “as relating to” purpose

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17
Q

What does design qua regularity mean?

A

Design “as relating to” the regular cycles and natural laws and order of the world

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18
Q

Name three scholars who give modern Teleological Arguments.

A

F. R. Tennant, A. Brown and R. Swinburne

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19
Q

What is the Aesthetic Principle?

A

Humans appreciate music, art and beauty which have no survival value so this could imply a benevolent Designer.

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20
Q

What is the Anthropic Principle?

A

This world is finely balanced to allow life to exist, its favourable conditions suggest a Designer.

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21
Q

Who argued that Design in the universe was more probable than chance?

A

Swinburne

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22
Q

Who argued the position and thickness of the Ozone Layer indicates a Designer?

A

A. Brown

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23
Q

Define Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection

A

The process in nature where the organisms best adapted to their environment survive and pass on their genetic characteristics while those less adapted tend to be eliminated.

24
Q

In what three ways can Darwinism challenge the TA?

A

random/chance process rather than purposeful design; no need for a Designer; humans are not special

25
Q

Name three scholars that challenge the TA?

A

D. Hume, C. Darwin, J.S. Mill

26
Q

What example does Darwin give for Natural Selection?

A

Finches having evolved different shaped beaks according to food sources available on different Galapagos islands.

27
Q

What other example can be used to support Natural Selection?

A

Moths during the Industrial Revolution

28
Q

What key words should be included in a summary of Darwinism?

A

adaptation to environment, natural selection, survival of the fittest, reproduce, advantageous characteristics

29
Q

What examples does Mill use in his argument?

A

Natural evil like pestilence (disease) and hurricanes

30
Q

What phrase from a Tennyson poem does Mill use?

A

Nature is red in tooth and claw

31
Q

What is Mill’s quote about the cruelty of nature?

A

“Nearly all the things which men are hanged or imprisoned for doing to one another are nature’s everyday performances.”

32
Q

Which two attributes of God is Mill weighing up?

A

Omnipotence and Omni-benevolence

33
Q

What is Mill’s conclusion?

A

Because of cruelty in nature, God must be a malevolent designer.

34
Q

Name four ways Hume criticises the TA.

A

Alternative explanation for design; analogy; religious worth; assumptions

35
Q

In what three ways does Hume criticise the use of analogies?

A

universe is not mechanistic but organic; a machine is made by many hands (many gods?); human imagery leads to an anthropomorphic god

36
Q

What analogies does Hume use that are used to criticise Paley’s watch?

A

house and ship - built by many people

37
Q

According to Hume, what kind of world do we live in?

A

“the first rude attempt of an infant deity, then abandoned”

38
Q

According to Hume, what kind of designer could have designed our world?

A

An immoral designer

39
Q

What is Hume’s alternative explanation for apparent design in the world?

A

The Epicurean Hypothesis

40
Q

What is the Epicurean Hypothesis?

A

With infinite time and an infinite number of possible combinations, order will eventually be established.

41
Q

What does Hoyle (apparently say) about the universe occurring by chance?

A

It is about as likely as a hurricane raging through a junk yard and producing a Boeing 747.

42
Q

What example does Morowitz use to explain the probability of the universe occurring by chance?

A

A protein molecule

43
Q

What is Morowitz’s conclusion?

A

The universe would have to be trillions of times older and larger for a protein molecule to have occurred by random chance.

44
Q

Which argument could you use Morowitz against?

A

Natural Selection - occurring by chance

45
Q

What is Richard Dawkins’ book called, which criticises Paley’s TA?

A

The Blind Watchmaker

46
Q

Why does Dawkins think the process of evolution is “blind”?

A

It has no purpose or foresight - random but cumulative mutations produce gradual changes over long periods of time.

47
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

“Arguments from design must fail because they do not prove the existence of a God who is all-powerful.” Discuss.

A

Hume, Aquinas, Paley, Darwinism

48
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

Explain Aquinas’ teleological argument and Darwinist objections to it.

A

Aquinas, Darwin and Dawkins (Darwinism)

49
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

“Evolution leaves no room for a designer of our universe.” Discuss.

A

Darwin, Dawkins, Tennant (Anthropic Principle), Paley (responses to potential criticisms), Morowitz, Hoyle

50
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

“Paley’s arguments are weaker than the criticisms of them”. Discuss.

A

Paley (and repsonses to potential criticisms), Hume, Mill, Darwinsim, Morowitz, Swinburne

51
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

“Human beings see “design” in the universe where none exists.” Discuss.

A

Hume, Dawkins, Paley, Aquinas, Swinburne, Tennant

52
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

“God is the most likely explanation for design in the universe.” Discuss.

A

Aquinas, Paley, Swinburne, Hume, Darwinism

53
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

Evaluate the claim that the universe has too many flaws for it to be designed.

A

Mill, Darwinism, Paley

54
Q

Which scholars/theories would you use?

“The universe has no purpose.” Discuss.

A

Dawkins, Darwinism, Paley, Aquinas

55
Q

What key ideas and examples would you use?

Explain how Paley uses observations of a purposeful and ordered universe to prove the existence of God.

A

design qua purpose; design qua regularity; Watch Analogy; examples of the eye, bird’s wing and lacteal system in mammals; examples of rotation of the planets and gravity

56
Q

What scholars would you use?

Explain how teleological arguments attempt to prove the existence of God.

A

Aquinas, Paley

Year 1 Philosophy of Religion (6 decks)

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