The Teleological Argument

Question 1

Who first suggested the TA?

Answer 1

Aquinas

Question 2

Describe Aquinas’ argument from design

Answer 2

1. All natural occurrences show evidence of design
2. This suggests there is a being directing all things
3. Things that lack knowledge cannot achieve anything without being directed by someone with knowledge
4. God is the intelligent being that drives everyone towards a purpose

Question 3

What does ‘design qua purpose’ mean?

Answer 3

The universe was designed to fulfil a purpose

Question 4

What does ‘design qua regularity’ mean?

Answer 4

The universe behaves according to some order

Question 5

What example did Paley use to demonstrate ‘design qua regularity?’

Answer 5

The relationships between the planets and the effect of gravity - it could not have come about without a designing principle at work

Question 6

Describe Hume’s first argument used to criticise the TA

Answer 6

1. To speak of design is to imply a designer
2. There is design in the world
3. Therefore God must be the designer.

Said that the world is imperfect and flawed, does this imply an incompetent designer?

Question 7

Describe Hume’s second argument used to criticise the TA

Answer 7

1. The world is ordered
2. This is due to either chance or design
3. It is possible that the world came about by chance

Question 8

What point did Hume make about the TA that supports paganism?

Answer 8

There is nothing in the argument to suggest that there is only one creator - there may be a team of lesser Gods

Question 9

How did J.S.Mill criticise the TA?

Answer 9

Argues that nature is guilty of serious crimes that if they were the result of human agency would not go unpunished.
“Nearly all the things which men are hanged or imprisoned for doing to one another are nature’s everyday performances.”
Concludes that the world cannot have order and rejects that it is the result of intelligent design.
Either there is no God or there exists an incompetent or immoral God

Question 10

How does Darwin argue against the TA?

Answer 10

Uses the theory of natural selection, saying that apparent design is in fact the result of a natural and random process

Geneticist Steve Jones says, “It is a series of successful mistakes”

Richard Dawkins - Random mutations in DNA alone gave rise to variation in the world which people have mistaken for design

Question 11

What does ‘Telos’ mean?

Answer 11

Purpose