The Design Argument Flashcards
Is the universe designed by God?
What is the design argument?
It’s an argument for the existence of God. It says that the world seems carefully designed to work well, which suggests that someone or something must have purposely designed it.
What did William Paley compare the design of the universe to?
Finding a watch
What does the design argument suggest about how the world works?
It suggests the world was designed in a specific way to work well.
In Paley’s example, what does finding a watch in a field suggest?
In his example, finding a watch in a field suggests that, because it’s complex and has a purpose, someone must have made it. This shows it wasn’t there by chance but was designed to keep time.
How does Paley compare the design of the watch to the universe?
Paley argues that just as a watch has a designer, the universe must also have a designer.
Why is the watch example important?
It shows that complex things usually need someone to create them.
Why do natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis volcanoes) go against the design argument?
It shows that there are ‘flawed designs’ and that they ignored it.
Why is it a problem that the design argument doesn’t specify who or what the designer is?
It weakens the argument because it leaves open who the designer could be, rather than proving it’s (in this case) God.
