The Teleological Argument Flashcards
Things to include in an introduction
An inductive argument
A posteriori approach
Based on the apparent order and regularity of things
Regularity and purpose is evidence of chance, not design.
Aristotle 4 cause s theory.
Early teleological argument
Material course –> what it’s made from
Formal cause–> its shape
Efficient cause –> who made it
Final cause –> the purpose
Everything has a purpose = design
humans purpose = eudomonia
Premises argument
Philosophical arguments are often present as a series of premises that lead to a conclusion
1) Purpose of the world shows design
2) Design requires a designer
3) The world requires a designer
Conclusion –> God is the designer
Aquinas –> The last 5 ways
Everything follows natural laws.
If things follow natural orders they tend to have a goal or purpose.
If something can not do so independently, it changes direction to something that does.
This something is called God.
Regularity (Aquinas)
Regularity over succession!
Things that follow certain laws lead to certain outcomes.
Natural laws = Regularities of succession.
Analogies
Arrow and the archer
An arrow it’s the target, even without a mind of its own (an effect)
The archer shot the arrow(A cause)
William Paley
The function and complexities of a watch imply a watchmaker. The same idea can be applied to the universe.
Design Qua purpose = the universe was designed tend to fulfil a purpose.
Design Qua regularity = the universe behaves according to some order.
Evaluation of the teleological argument
Strengths
\+An essential idea when arguing the existence of God. \+A posteriori--> scientific theory \+Easily understood. \+The world fits human life exactly. Design =Most rational explanation
Evaluation of the teleological argument
Weaknesses
- How can the PoE be explained if the world was designed by a benevolent deity
- It could be a pantheon of Gods who designed the world, not the classical God of theism like the theory suggests.
- random process such as evolution. The complexity of the world due to change over billions of years.
Paley / Aristotle / Aquinas
Similarities:
Paley and Aquinas are Christian, therefore their ideas would have been influenced by religion.
They both use analogies with purpose and order.
Differences:
Aristotle is Ancient Greek, therefore he would not have been influenced by religion.
Richard Swinburn
The scientific method should be the simplest as possible.
Scientists are able to define laws and discover more, but they will not find a basis for the fundamental laws - they can not explain why there is a deep order in the first place.
Ockhams Razor
“If you have 2 theories that both explain the observed facts, then you should use the simplest until more evidence comes along.”
“Simplicity equals perfection”
F R Tennant
The Anthropic principle.
The universe seems to be designed for intelligent life.
There is an infinite range of conditions in which life could not exist. The fact that life exists indicates a fine tunes universe designed for humans.
“The survival of the fittest presupposes the arrival of the fit”
The Big Bang and evolutionary process can be the means by which the designer God used to bring the universe to its current condition.
Criticisms of the Anthropic Principle
It gives humans an unwarranted status. Of the universe was structured differently nothing would survive.
If the world was not ordered the way it was, we would it survive = a principle based on tautology.
David Hume
He rejects the use of an analogy to prove the argument.
The universe can not and should not be likened to a machine.
There are other explanations that the God of classical theism. There could be many lesser Gods.
Supported by C.Darwin (He challenged the nature of the belief, not the belief itself)
