Teleological Argument

Teleological Argument

the argument for the existence of God from the evidence of order, and hence design, in nature.

Origins of teleological argument

Socrates in a discussion with protarchus, talks about the apparent design in nature, using the example of how parts of the human body works to be adapted to each other, i.e the eye protected by the eyelids

• to socrates this suggests an intelligent designer

how does plato develop socrates version of the teleological argument?

in his work 'republic' he argues that a cosmic designer called the demiurge had supreme intelligence to design the world. But it did not have the power to create it from ex nihlo so he used the existing material to make an orderly and beautiful universe

How does aristotle expand on platos idea?

Aristotle was platos student and in his work 'metaphysics' he argues the existence of a prime mover and the whole nature displays an inherent purpose and direction

Cicero on the Design Argument

in his work "De Natura deorum" he argues that a divine power may be found in the principle of reason that pervades the whole universe.

Quote from cicero

"When you see a sundial or a water-clock, you see that it tells the time by design and not by chance, How then can you imagine that the universe as a whole is devoid of purpose and intelligence, when it embraces everything"

Aquinas - Design Qua Purpose

Aquinas's term for the way the parts of the universe fit together for a purpose

Aquinas - Design Qua Regularity

Aquinas's term for the way that the order and regularity in the world are proof of intelligent design

Aquinas's Fifth way

TELEOLOGICAL

Nature has an order and purpose about it.

Nothing inanimate has its own purpose - each thing is guided by another (eg an arrow flying towards a target was aimed and fired by another being).

Everything in nature therefore must be directed by its telos - which is God

Zenos analogy archer and the arrow

An arrow cannot move itself because it does not have knowledge/intelligence, but can move towards a telos when directed by the archer - who does have intelligence.

• Aquinas USES this to conclude that there must be intelligent beings that direct all natural things to their allotted telos. For AQUINAS this was god.

Keith ward on aquinas fifth way.

Things w/o intelligence or cognitive abilitu still aim towards a goal, e.g flowers lean towards the light however this is a work of physics and can be easily explained.

THERE IS NO GOD!!!

Aquinas's first way

Argument from motion, all objects are in motion, but nothing can move itself, therefore there must be an intelligent being that sets everything into motion i.e GOD

Aquinas's second way

Argument from efficient cause, there are efficient causes that brings other things into the world, nothing can exist alone so therefore there must be something that causes these things to exist, i.e GOD

Aquinas's Third Way

Argument from contingency, There is a necessary being that brings contingent things into the world, I.E GOD!!

who created the Argument from Astronomy

Arthur brown

Argument from Astronomy

Brown uses the ozone layer as an example of how god exists, the ozone layers purpose is to protect us from ultraviolet rays, therefore there must have been an intelligent designer who put this into action.

Who created the Aesthetic Principle?

Tennant

what is the aesthetic principle?

tennent argues that the ability to enjoy art, music etc does not come from a need of survival or natural selection, which instead suggests they may be gifts from GOD!!!

what is swinburne's argument called?

Probabilities

Explain swinburne's argument

he believed that the coincidence like the universe is just too big to just occur and therefore there must have been an intelligent designer i.e GOD!!

Swineburne Ockham's razor

he invokes ockhams razor to argue that it was more likely and believable that there was an intelligent designer, rather than it just occurring by chance

Ochkam's Razor

whatever explanation is the simpliest is probably the true one

Michael Palmer

he raises the question of whether theisim as a whole can be described as simple.

Keith Ward's argument against the teleological argument

Things w/o intelligence or cognitive abilitu still aim towards a goal, e.g flowers lean towards the light however this is a work of physics and can be easily explained.

JS Mill Against the teleological argument

He believed there cannot be an omnibenevolent god because we experience suffering and pain, therefore if there is a god he probably wants us to experience pain and suffering.

• Female digger wasp

• If nature points towards a god, its not a very loving god

Paley's watch analogy

The watch was for a purpose; telling the time. The parts work together or are fit for a purpose. The parts are ordered and put together in a certain way to make the watch function. If the parts are arranged in a different way the watch does not work i.e. It does not fulfil its purpose. Conclusion - the watch had a maker who 'must have existed, at some time, at some place or other for a purpose, and designed its use

Hume's criticisms of the teleological argument

• he uses the epicurean hypothesis to explain how natural order doesn't necessarily mean there's an intelligent designer

Hume's POTENTIAL criticisms watch analogy

He argues that we cannot use analogies to explain the universe to comparing it to something man made as the universe is beyond our understanding

Humes objection Anthropomorphism

Hume suggests that the design argument would only work if there is a close analogy between mechanisms and natural objects. If there is a very close analogy, the causes must be similar.

anthromorphic

understanding god by attributing human characteristics to him

Kant and apparent design

We see design because our minds impose order on what we experience.

• This doesn't mean there's an actual designer, just that our minds are wired to look for purpose

• WRITTEN IN CRITIQUE OF PURE REASON

What does Kant say in critique of pure reason?

We cant know things as they truly are "noumena" but as they appear to us "phenomena"

Dawkins the blind watchmaker

Argues that the explanation is found in the "blind" process of evolution

Darwinism

the theory of the evolution of species by natural selection advanced by Charles Darwin.