RS: Philosophy - arguments based on observation

Teleological/Design Argument

\-- An argument for the existence of God
\-- The complex functionality in the natural world which looks designed is evidence of am intelligent creator
\-- A posteriori argument
\-- William Paley: argued that the complexity of the world suggest there is a purpose to it, so must be a designer, GOD
\-- Thomas Aquinas: Begins with the empirical observation of the design and order of the universe. The order of the universe cannot be explained by chance, but only by deigned purpose. The apparent and complexity in the world is proof of a designer, GOD

PALEY

\-- Analogy of watch: If you come across a watch on the beach, he would assume that its many complex parts fit together for a purpose and that it had not come into existence by chance, therefore there is a designer.
\-- God MUST have designed the world in such a way, to all things to happened by chance

PALEY

\-- Analogy of eye: The eye is perfectly fit for seeing, proving that it is designed for that purpose

Aquinas: Fifth way

\-- Telos: taken from the governance of the world, everything is working towards a purpose
\-- We see that things lack intelligence, such as natural bodies, act for an end
\-- Order of the planets (natural objects): Acting for a purpose
\-- "Aim of all this is to aim for the best result"
\-- This has to be designed, not by chance
\-- The order needs to be directed by an intelligent being, GOD

Aquinas

\-- Analogy of the archer and arrow: Arrow is being directed and has a purpose. This can only happened by the archer directing it
\-- Archer represents GOD

Swinburne

\-- Things need a purpose, God gives things a purpose therefore God must be the purpose
\-- The universe is ordered. This needs an explanation, God fits
\-- This is the world God wanted to create

Intelligent design

\-- Some organisms are irreducibly complex \-- biologically complex e.g membranes
\-- Some organisms are specified complexity. Everything specific for everything links to God being designer as he made everything perfect

Humes: Dialogues

\-- Character Cleanthes: "Look round the world, contemplate, the whole and every part of it: you will fine it to be nothing but one great machine"
\-- Character Philo: This perception is weak, if you cannot compare the world to a machine, then you cannot imply a designer to the world. You cannot presume that the universe is ordered just because you see problems.

Humes: Dialogues part 2

\-- Hume argued a chaotic order could produce what looks like order and see us creating an argument of evolution
\-- "If it rains I'll carry an umbrella vs If I carry an umbrella it will rain"
\-- This doesn't necessarily mean a Christian God
\-- Philo Response: Analogy of the hose/ship, a team of builders/makers to make a ship. Therefore there is more than one designer
\-- However a criticism is that you can't compare the world to a. ship.
\-- Philo Response: the universe is unique, so we have no evidence for other universes. We don't know what the purpose of the universe is
\-- If we could experience a universe being designed, we would be able to use an analogy to infer that our universe itself was designed
\-- Paley Response: Nor would it weaken the conclusion that we have never seen a watch being made, we know it has been made even if we haven't see it.

Charles Darwin: challenge to the design argument

\-- If all specifies evolved from simpler species, that means that we are not designed as we are
\-- If we have adapted to our environment that means that we are not fit for purpose
\-- Biological science: Survival of the fittest, natural selection, evolution
\-- Small changes that lead to our complex world today
\-- Don't beed a God, natural world has changed by itself
\-- Don't need a God to set this in motion, the start of evolution
\-- Can also link to cataphoric events e.g Astroid and dinosaurs
\-- Darwin never set put to disprove God or Design argument, only wanted to know how animals come to be in the natural world
\-- This argument only explains how it evolved, not how it started.