RS a level PHILOSOPHY - arguments from observation

key words, scholars and evaluation

what are the two arguments from observation called?

teleological and cosmological

What’s the name of Aquinas’ book, in which he lays out his 5 ways?

summa theologica

which argument from observation is Aquinas’ 5th way relevant to? what does it suggest?

teleological: everything has a purpose. unintelligent beings must have an intelligent being guiding them towards their purpose, compared to the arrow and the archer

what is the anthropic principle

conditions for life on earth are so specific that they cannot have occurred by chance

What analogy does Paley use in his argument from observation? which argument does it support?

watch analogy, teleological

Quote from Paley’s watch analogy about the complexities of nature

“the contrivances of nature surpass the contrivances of art”

Give two of Paley’s examples from the world of intricate design

the eye, fish

which two human features did Newton suggest was sufficient evidence for God’s existence

opposable thumbs, unique fingerprints

who proposed the anthropic principle

F.R. Tennant

why might evolution support the teleological argument?

Genesis suggests humans are special which is why we have evolved further than other living things

God set evolution in motion

why might evolution provide opposing evidence for the teleological argument?

no need for a God

suggests world was never perfect as things had to change and adapt

why might the infinite nature of the universe create problems for the teleological argument?

if there is an infinite number of planets then the perfect one must exist, explaining that earth is “perfect” by chance

why might problem of evil create problems for the teleological argument?

does not suggest the loving Christian God designed the world

are arguments from observation inductive or deductive

inductive

which of Aquinas’ ways relate to the cosmological argument

1,2,3

summarise Aquinas’ 1st way

there cannot be an infinite regress of motion, God is the unmoved mover

summarise Aquinas’ 2nd way

there cannot be an infinite regress of causation, God is the uncaused causer

summarise Aquinas’ 3rd way

not everything in the world can be contingent, there must be a necessary being and this is God

what is the difference between the teleological and cosmological arguments

design vs causation

quote from Aquinas’ 1st way

“whatever is in motion is put in motion by another”

quote from Aquinas’ 3rd way

“if everything is possible not to be, then at one time there could have been nothing in existence. Now if this were true, even now there would be nothing in existence”

how does Tillich describe God

“the ground of all being”

which principle did Leibniz propose? summarise it

The Principle of Sufficient Reason: everything that exists must have a reason or cause for it’s existence. There is always a reason, whether it is known or unknown

how would Leibniz react to someone who says they cannot be sure that God exists?

just because we cannot understand something does not mean it doesn’t exist. everything has a cause, including the universe

why does Leibniz think the God who made the universe is good?

the universe is harmonious, so God made us the best possible world

why does Leibniz think God still plays an active part in the universe?

because it is harmonious

what is an inductive argument

offers the most probable conclusion based on the evidence

which analogy can be used against the anthropic principle

monkey and a typewriter

Explain Leibniz’ geometry book example

each new book is based off the last

the original book can't have just appeared, must've had a creator who wrote it

this can be applied to the world, there can't have been infinite cause and effect, something had to have started it

What is the fallacy of composition

just because things in the universe have a cause doesn’t mean the universe has a cause

What does Hume say about necessary existence

it is a logical contradiction

How does Hume criticise Aquinas’ 3rd way

the universe itself could be necessary

How does Hume criticise Aquinas’ 1st way

we cannot know the cause of motion because it's outside of our experience; we cannot show the direct link between change and God

Russel’s analogy supporting fallacy of composition

just because every human has a mother does not mean the universe has a mother

3 explanations for the universes’ existence that counter-argue arguments from observation

the Big Bang, chance, the universe is necessary

What does Temple say about why infinite regress should not be discarded as impossible?

“It is impossible to imagine infinite regress. It is not impossible to conceive it”

Why does Hume criticise the watch analogy

characteristics of nature are not nearly so intricate and purposeful as that of a watch

we would only stop to pick up the watch on the heath because it is not something found in the natural world

What does Hume say in response to Leibniz’ argument that there is order in the world

we have no other worlds to compare it to: only one side of the scale analogy

quote from Romans 1 supporting teleological argument

“Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities… have been clearly seen”

how does Hick describe the universe, therefore rejecting a posteriori approaches

“religiously ambiguous”

quote from Hume on assuming the universe is ordered

“we would impose order in any universe we were in”

quote from Aquinas’ 5th way, arguably showing his jump to God

“some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God”

quote from Hume critiquing the watch analogy

“the world plainly resembles more an animal or vegetable than it does a watch”

quote from Leibniz showing the starting point of his Principle of Sufficient Reason

“why is there something rather than nothing?”

quote from Dawkins arguing evolution rather than God is the cause of apparent design

“the ‘designer’ is unconscious natural selection, the blind watchmaker”

what does it mean to say that Aquinas’ fifth way is design qua regularity

focusing on the order present in natural bodies being directed by intelligence

Colossians 1:16-17, supporting Aquinas’ presumption that the universe is not infinite

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”

Genesis 1:1, supporting Aquinas’ presumption that the universe is not infinite

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”

4 Hume criticisms of teleological argument

challenged analogy of the watch

epicurean hypothesis demonstrates that all particles in the universe would combine in every possible combination in an infinite amount of time

one side of the scales criticisms

we cannot tell the nature of the designer or designers: shipbuilder analogy

Hume’s shipbuilder analogy to criticise the teleological argument

a ‘stupid mechanic’ makes a wonderful ship because he has imitated others and copied an art-form after many failed attempts

5 Hume criticisms of cosmological argument

causation is a physiological concept and so causal links beyond our experience cannot be made

fallacy of composition

the universe itself could be necessary

necessary existence is a logical contradiction

relies on a leap to god

3 aspects of evolution that challenge teleological argument

inheretence, mutation, survival of the fittest

William Lane Craig’s Kalam Cosmological Argument

everything that begins to exist has a cause

the universe began to exist, as is demonstrated by the scientifically theorised Big Bang

therefore, the universe has cause

that cause must exist outside of time and space, be powerful and immaterial, which points to God