Aquinas: argument from design

Who was Thomas Aquinas?

An Italian philosopher and priest of the Roman Catholic church (1225-1274)

What did Aquinas believe?

The God of Classical Theism was the God that designed the universe

What argument does Aquinas argue for?

Design qua regularity

Design qua regularity

Philosophers that believe the order and regularity of the universe is proof of a designer

Why does Aquinas argue for the design qua regularity argument?

He believed that things worked together to achieve order and regularity within the universe, even though inanimate objects cannot think for themselves

What does Aquinas say about inanimate objects that cannot think for themselves?

Something intelligent outside of these inanimate objects must have been thinking for them

What are the two analogies that Aquinas uses in his design qua regularity argument?

The acorn analogy and the archer analogy

The acorn analogy

Not everything has to be intelligent to reach its end purpose - ie an acorn which will turn into an oak tree, but something intelligent is needed to help the acorn reach its end purpose

Example: something that requires something intelligent to reach its end purpose

An acorn requires: soil, sunlight, and water to become an oak tree, but it is not able to get this for itself

The archer analogy

For an arrow to reach its destination, it must be directed by an archer

What does Aquinas compare the arrow to in his archer analogy?

To natural bodies, as they cannot think for themselves

What does Aquinas compare the archer to in his archer analogy?

To an intelligent designer as the archer is directing the natural bodies to their end purpose

What does Aquinas say about things without intelligence?

They cannot likely reach their end purpose without the assistance of an intelligent being directing/guiding it