teleological argument

Aquinas 5th way

• Things are not intelligent, or not intelligent enough, to direct their own behaviour.

• Aquinas's argument aligns with design qua regularity

• This means there must be natural laws (laws of nature/physics) which govern the behaviour of things in the universe.

• Natural laws must have an origin – an intelligent designer.

• So, God exists.

• Analogy: archer and the arrow. If you see an arrow – it’s goal directed towards a target – you can know there must be an archer who shot it.

Paleys design qua purpose

• If you find a watch, you know it has a designer because of its complexity and purpose.

• We also find complexity and purpose in nature.

• Paley argued that the design in the universe implies regularity, routine, and consistency. He looked to the sky and astronomy, referencing Newton's Laws of Motion (mass, acceleration, and gravity).- Paley would argue that this consistent behavior indicates a grand designer responsible for creating and maintaining these laws

• Paley extends his argument by drawing parallels between the design observed in the watch and the design found in nature, particularly the eye

• complexity and purpose can’t come about by chance

• nature has a designer – it must be much greater and more powerful than any human designer – God.

Hume’s critique: evidential problem of evil

• fry critique

• We have evidence of evil in the world, so it’s not possible to infer the existence of a perfect God from the world. 

• E.g. human suffering due to having frail bodies, animal suffering, most of the earth’s surface is too hot, cold or wet to live on. It doesn’t appear designed by a perfect God.

• dostoyvesky- brothers story - give ticket back to heaven - ivan and brother

evaluation

• Paley’s response: even a broken watch still has a designer. 

• Soul-making theodicy attempts to explain the evil we see around us as something God allows so we can have soul-making (Hick’s development of Irenaeus’ theodicy). 

Hume’s critique of analogy (Paley’s watch & Aquinas’ archer/arrow)

• analogy must be similar

• world not a machine

• posits that the universe is more organic, undermining the core of the teleological argument. By attacking the watch analogy, Hume aims to dismantle the entire argument

• even if nature is like a watch or an arrow – that doesn’t mean the cause of nature is like the cause of a watch/arrow (i.e., an intelligent mind).

evaluation

• Paley’s argument is not actually based on analogy. 

• Paley isn’t saying that the universe is designed because it’s like the watch which is designed. 

• Paley is saying that the universe is designed because it has complexity and purpose and the best explanation of that is a designing mind. 

• The watch/arrow are just illustrations.

Hume’s critique: God not the only explanation (committee of Gods)

• Hume points out that even if the design argument worked – it would not prove a particular God – it could have been designed by a committee of Gods, a junior God, or even a God who then died.

  counter

• swinburne says one God is simpler than multiple (ockham’s razor – we should go with the simplest explanation that works). 

• Swinburne accepts the design argument can’t prove the Christian God in particular – however, Aquinas and Paley also accept that. 

• They aren’t trying to prove the Christian God in particular

• So the proponents of the design argument never claimed that it proved what Hume is accusing them of

Evolution as a counter to the design argument

• explain how evolution works and how it explains the ‘appearance’ of design without recourse to a designer.

• Organisms might seem designed for survival in their environment, but really it adapted to its environment.

tennants counter

• Aesthetic means beauty.

• Human beings have the ability to perceive beauty.

• Tennant points out that this could not have evolved by itself because it cannot give a survival advantage and therefore couldn’t be naturally selected for. 

• So, God must have intentionally controlled evolution to add traits like aesthetic perception.

  or

• anthropic counter - Evolution wouldn’t even be possible without a planet with the right chemical composition and astronomical features (right distance from a sun, etc). 

• So, a God must have designed this planet for evolution to even be possible.

evaluation

• perhaps perception of beauty is essential to mate-selection – it allows animals to be attracted to each other (Dawkins’ response).

• or

• There are 10 hexillion planets in the universe – so we should expect a planet like earth to exist just purely by chance – it doesn’t need a special explanation like a God

hume criticism principle sufficient reason

• Hume argues that one cannot assume the universe is designed simply because things within it exhibit design.

• Fallacy of Composition: The error in reasoning that occurs when one infers that something is true of the whole from the fact that it is true of some part of the whole.

• This critique mirrors his argument against the cosmological argument. Just because parts of the universe appear designed, it does not follow that the universe as a whole requires a designer.

hume criticism Epicurean Hypothesis

• Epicurean Hypothesis: At the beginning of time, particles were in random, chaotic motion. Over vast periods, these particles evolved into ordered systems.

• apparent design arises from random processes over time, rather than from a deliberate designer

• Hume's book predates Paley's, meaning Hume criticizes the general teleological argument rather than Paley specifically

stephen fry critique problem evil

• Fry was asked what he would say to God at the pearly gates.

• He highlighted the problem of evil, especially bone cancer in children, as morally unjustifiable.

• Questioned how a just and loving God could allow such suffering.

• Criticized the existence of parasites that blind children, calling it a sign of cruelty, not design.

• Described such a God as "mean-minded," "stupid," or an "utter maniac."

• Implied that either God is wicked, or the world was not designed by God at all.