The Design Argument

Question 1

A posteriori

Answer 1

Arguments which depend on sense experience

Question 2

Inductive

Answer 2

They are probabilistic

Arguments which use reasoning to supply strong evidence for the truth of a conclusion

Question 3

Premise

Answer 3

A proposition that supports or helps to support a conclusion

Question 4

Natural theology

Answer 4

Theology/knowledge of God based on observed facts and experience apart from divine revelation

Question 5

Teleological

Answer 5

Telos meaning end or purpose
So the teleological argument for the existence of God seeks to show that we can see evidence of deliberate design in the natural world

Question 6

Anthropomorphism

Answer 6

Attributing human form or ideas to beings other than humans (God, or animals)

Question 7

Anthropic principle

Answer 7

Related to humans
The idea there is a direct link between our observation of the universe and the boundary conditions/cosmological constants that brought it into existence. Without these being fine tuned (by God) intelligent life would never have developed - it’s no accident that we are here

Question 8

Cicero quote on creation

Answer 8

‘What could be more clear or obvious when we look up to the sky and contemplate the heavens - there is some divinity or intelligence’

Question 9

Analogy of the watch

Answer 9

A watch has complex parts put together for a purpose so it must have been designed by a watchmaker

Question 10

3 observations about the world

Answer 10

Complexity (laws of nature)
Regularity (orbits, seasons)
Purpose of a designer

Question 11

How is the universe like a watch

Answer 11

It is intricate in its design
It could not have come about by accident
The universe itself is proof of an intelligent designer

Question 12

Design qua purpose

Answer 12

The argument that the universe appears to have been designed for some purpose eg. The human eye

Question 13

Design qua regularity

Answer 13

The argument that the universe appears to behave according to order and rule eg. Newton’s laws of motion

Question 14

Paley quote on creation

Answer 14

‘The watch must have had a maker.. an artificer or artificers who formed it for the purpose’

Question 15

Strengths of DA

Answer 15

Supports other arguments for the existence of God, can play a role in the cumulative argument
There is evidence of order and purpose - so it is logical that God is the explanation
The analogical form is simple, logical, easy to understand
It has stood the test of time

Question 16

Weaknesses of DA

Answer 16

It’s based on the human notion of design
The universe wasn’t created by humans so we can’t claim to know it was created
The universe is very flawed - is the creator flawed?

Question 17

Hume quote about the designer

Answer 17

‘The world is very faulty and imperfect… it is the world only of some inferior deity’

Question 18

Hume criticism of analogy

Answer 18

We can’t draw analogy between human creation and God
Analogy only works for part of not the whole universe
Comparing human design to God’s design emphasises his fallibility and limitedness
The analogy of the watchmaker would suggest many Gods making different parts of the universe

Question 19

Epicurean Hypothesis

Answer 19

Given an infinite amount of rolls, a finite amount of dice (or particles) will eventually form equilibrium
The dice are still rolling

Question 20

Hume quote about God’s performance

Answer 20

‘Some infant deity who afterward abandoned it, ashamed of his lame performance’

Question 21

Existence of evil and DA

Answer 21

Evil happens on a cosmic scale

It is difficult to reconcile the sheer amount of evil with the existence of a good designer God