Teleological Arguments Flashcards
Thomas Aquinas - the archer and the arrow
Things that lack intelligence, such as single celled organisms or inanimate objects, have an end (or a purpose).
Things that lack intelligence cannot move towards their end unless they are directed by someone with knowledge and intelligence.
For example, an arrow does not direct itself towards its target, but rather it needs an archer (with intelligence) to direct it.
William Paley - the watchmaker analogy
Wonders how a stone came to be here
Then sees a watch and wonders how it came to be her
In the case of the stone the answer could well be that it has been there forever, but there is something about the presence of the watch that demands further explanation.
Paley suggests that the features of the watch make it clear that it has been ‘contrived’ or designed.
The features of design - Paley
It has several parts
The parts work together for a purpose
The parts have been made with specific material, appropriate to their action
Together the parts produce a regulated motion
If the parts had been designed a different way then the motion would not have been produced.
The machine analogy - David Hume (only to criticise!)
The world around us is like a machine, because we can observe complexity and order
The complexity seen in machines comes from having been designed and made by intelligent beings. (humans)
Our experience suggests that similar things have similar causes (analogy).
Therefore, the complexity in the world around us comes from having been designed and made by an intelligent being – God.
Hume’s challenges
Objections that focus on the fact we have no direct experience of nature being designed.
Objections that suggest that all arguments from analogy are weak.
Objections that suggest that even if the argument is successful, it doesn’t prove ‘God’ exists.
Evil challenges the teleological argument - Mill
Mill argues that nature is too naturally cruel to be the product of benevolent design
Mill suggests that the existence of so much suffering as part of the natural world shows that the world cannot possibly be the ordered design of a loving and powerful God.
The design argument is a flawed way to prove the existence of the God of Classical Theism.
Ockham’s razor
the simplest explanation is preferable to one that is more complex
Kant’s criticism - teleological arguments
The most the argument can prove is that some form of ‘architect’ arranged the ‘matter’ of the universe in some sort of order. This does not prove the all-powerful, supreme creator claimed by the theists. Like Hume, Kant states that the design argument tells us nothing about the sort of being who could have designed the universe.
The aesthetic principle - F.R. Tennant
Humans are able to appreciate beauty, but that beauty is not necessary for survival and so cannot be the result of natural selection.
The fact that we can appreciate and create art, music etc and the fact that the natural world is beautiful in so many ways suggest that there must be a designer.
The designer must be a loving God who is involved with the world, as he wanted his creation, not only to live in the world, but to enjoy and appreciate it.
The anthropic principle - F.R. Tennant
The anthropic principle argues that the likelihood of these conditions occurring by chance is too low, so there must be a guiding hand behind the Big Bang
In other words, everything on Earth is perfect for human existence because God intended it to be that way.
