The teleological argument Flashcards
What is the teleological argument?
An argument for the existence of God which states that the enormous complexities found in nature can only be explained by the presence of a cosmic ‘designer’.
—-> only God could have created a world so complicated.
Where does the word ‘teleological’ come from?
The Greek word ‘telos’, which means purpose or end.
What does the teleological argument have to do with telos?
The argument suggests that the universe is intricately structured in such a way that it appears to have been purposefully designed for a specific end or goal.
Who offered the ‘watchmaker analogy’ to explain the teleological argument?
William Paley in the early 19th century
Explain the ‘watchmaker analogy’
In ‘Natural Theology’ (1802), Paley compared the complexity of the universe to a watch. He argued that if someone found a watch on the ground, they would immediately infer that it had a maker because of its intricate design and purpose. Likewise, the natural world, with all its complexity, must also have had a designer.
What is the ‘fine-tuning’ argument?
The teleological argument is often framed in terms of the fine-tuning of the universe. The physical constants of the universe (e.g., the strength of gravity, the electromagnetic force) appear to be precisely tuned to allow life to exist. If these constants were even slightly different, life as we know it could not exist. The fine-tuning argument suggests that this precise adjustment implies the action of an intelligent designer.
Give criticisms of the teleological argument
- Evil - Critics argue that the existence of suffering, evil, and apparent flaws in the design of the universe undermines the notion of a benevolent, intelligent designer. The so-called “problem of evil” questions why a perfect designer would create a world filled with pain and imperfection.
- Evolutionary explanations - Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection provided a naturalistic explanation for the apparent design of living organisms. Arguments that the complexity and adaptation of life forms can be explained through evolutionary processes rather than requiring the existence of a designer.
- Humes criticisms - argued that the watch analogy is weak because the universe is not like a watch (a watch is a man-made object with a specific function, whereas the universe is not a human artefact and is far more complex)
What are Aquinas’s five ways?
Arguments for the existence of God
What is Aquinas’s fifth way?
Argument about the final cause and purpose
Explain Aquinas’s fifth way
Aquinas begins the Fifth Way by observing that in nature, non-intelligent beings seem to act in ways that are regular and ordered, often achieving specific ends or purposes. He argues that this apparent design or purpose cannot be the result of chance alone. Non-rational beings in nature, like plants, animals, or inanimate objects, act in specific ways that lead to particular results. For instance, an acorn grows into an oak tree, or a fish swims to find food. These actions appear to be directed towards an end (a final cause), and they happen with regularity and consistency, as if these beings have a goal or purpose in mind. Since non-rational beings cannot act with intelligence, Aquinas concludes that there must be an external, intelligent being that directs them toward their ends. This intelligent being is God.
Is the teleological argument a posteriori argument?
Yes, because it is based on experiences and observations of the natural world.
What is Aquinas’s ideas regarding the teleological argument?
Aquinas’ Fifth Way maintains that everything acts towards an end and any order in this respect reflects an intelligent being.
Explain the concept of chance that is in opposition to this argument
It could just be down to chance that a perfect planet, with liveable conditions, in a perfect universe emerged. And, instead of being designed in such a way that is suitable for us, we may have just adapted over the years to the environments given to us.
