The Teleological Argument

Question 1

What does the Teleological argument attempt to do?

Answer 1

The word ‘Telos’ is Greek for purpose. The Teleological argument thus argues that the universe is being directed towards a telos, an end purpose, and the a posteriori evidence of an apparent intelligent design in the world implies the existence of an intelligent designer, God.

Question 2

What is the teleological argument founded on?

Answer 2

The Teleological argument is founded on Aquinas’s fifth way: The Argument From Intelligent Design

Question 3

What does Aquinas’ fifth way say?

Answer 3

1. All natural occurrences show evidence of design
2. This suggests that there is a being that directs all things
3. Things that lack knowledge cannot achieve anything unless directed by a thing with knowledge
4. There is therefore an intelligent being that directs everyone towards a purpose
5. For Aquinas, this being is God

Question 4

What are the two parts of William Paley’s argument?

Answer 4

In his book, ‘Natural Theology,’ William Paley presents his own form of the Teleological argument.

1. Design qua Purpose – the universe was designed to fulfil a purpose
2. Design qua Regularity – the universe behaves according to some order

Question 5

What is Paley’s analogy of the watch?

Answer 5

A man walks across a heath and finds a rock. He attributes the existence of the rock to nature. He walks further and stumbles across a watch. After some examination he concludes that its purpose is to measure time. Due to the complexities of the watch, he concludes that it is impossible to suppose that the watch had come about without the agency of a ‘watch maker.’

Question 6

What does the analogy of the watch suggest?

Answer 6

The watch is like the universe – it is too complex to have just happened by chance. It is impossible therefore to suppose that the universe had come about without the agency of a ‘universe maker’ – God.