Teleological Argument

Argument from Design

• Observe the universe (a posteriori)

• Aquinas claims purpose is not accidental

• Anything that lacks knowledge, must have knowledge to guide it

• Therefore, we can assume that there is a form of higher intelligence giving purpose and an end goal to all natural things

What is Aquinas’ 5th Argument?

Aquinas’ 5th Argument

What is the Archer and an Arrow analogy relevant to?

The goal of an arrow is to reach a target

• But the arrow cannot do this on its own

• The arrow needs to be guided by something: the archer

The Archer guides the arrow towards its end goal, allowing it to achieve its target

What is the Archer and an Arrow Analogy?

God guides natural bodies to their end goals

• God is like the Archer

• We are the Arrows

• And God guides us towards our end goal/the target

What does the Archer an Arrow analogy represent?

Is it valid to use a hypothetical to prove the real?

• Merely illustrating a point

• Only suggests ideas, rather than proving them

Evaluation - Archer an Arrow analogy

Issac Netwon’s discovery of gravity

• enlightenment period

What science influenced William Paley?

• Regularity

• Purpose

What are the two things that William Paley noticed about the universe?

Complex things seem to work with Regularity

• e.g. Seasons, Planet Rotation

order and regularity is deliberate and intentional by a designer

How does Regularity prove that there’s a God? - William Paley

The way in which things are ordered: not just deliberate, but purposeful

• Many complex elements of the universe points towards there being some sort of designer, who he believes is God

How does Purpose prove that there’s a God? - William Paley

Eye - seem to have been deliberately constructed with the purpose I see

Wings of Birds - wings of birds are very intricately constructured to allow them to fly

What are Examples for William Paley’s idea of Purpose?

The design of the universe must point to a designer (God)

Which argument does Paley’s Analogy of the Watch support?

• If you came across a rock you could explain its origins referring to natural causes

• However, if you were to come across a watch there would be no natural explanation

• If you look inside the watch, it is made up of cogs and springs that have been designed to work together to run the watch

—> it has a designer who has designed it with the purpose of telling the time

What is the Analogy of the Watch?

It is a metaphor for the world

• world is even more complex than the watch, with natural systems = allow it to function seemingly intentionally

Therefore, the world must have a creator and that creator must be God

What does the Analogy of the Watch represent?

• Whether or not we’ve seen a watch before - clearly more complex than a watch: different in its nature

• Even if the watch is broken, we are still able to assume it has a designer/watchmaker

• Even if we don’t understand or know how the watch works, we can still identify there has been some sort of designer to create it

What contextual notes did Paley make to avoid criticism?