The Teleological Argument

The Teleological Argument

Due to the order and complexity of the universe, their must be a designer (God)

What type of argument is the Teleological Argument?

A Posteriori, Inductive

Who formulated the Teleological Argument?

William Paley

Who's ideas did William Paley base the Teleological Argument on?

Plato, Aristotle. Aquinas

In which book does William Paley formulate the Teleological Argument?

Natural Theology

William Paley's Argument from Purpose

If we found a watch on the ground we would know it did not come to be there by chance but on purpose. Shows that the universe does not exist by chance but that it was put here by a designer.

William Paley's Argument from Regularity

A watch has regular mechanical movements: like the universe. The regularity in the watch points to a watchmaker responsible. The regularity of the universe shows that the universe must be designed by a creator too.

Evidence of the Universe's complexity (1)

Beauty of the universe

Evidence of the Universe's order (1)

The solar system

The Anthropic Principle

Theory that the purpose of the universe is to sustain human life because conditions are perfectly tailored. Human life is even perhaps inevitable (strong Anthropic principle)

Humanity would not be the same if...(Evidence for the Teleological Argument)

The earth were slightly closer or further from the sun, the earth's axis were different, DNA did not replicate

Arguments AGAINST the Teleological Argument

Evidence of bad design (illness, natural disaster), intricate design can be scientifically explained, humans had to adapt to the environment (evolution)

Aquinas's Fifth Way

God guides non-intelligent beings through their processes like an archer guides an arrow to the target

Which book can Aquinas's ways be found?

Summa Theologica

Why did Richard Swinburne add to the Teleological Argument

To maintain it after Darwinism

Darwinism

Evolution shows that our environments are not tailored to us but rather we became tailored to our environment

Richard Swinburne's Regularities of Secession

Objects in the universe all follow the same predictable, scientific laws (e.g. H + O always ——> H2O). God must've put these laws in place.

Richard Swinburne's Regularities of Co-Presence

Organisms in the universe exhibit natural spatial order- their parts work well together (e.g. the human eye). God must've arranged this to be so organised.

How does David Hume criticise the Paley's Teleological Argument? (3)

We have no experience of the universe being designed like we do a watch being designed, analogies can never be accurate because the universe is its own unique creation, we cannot prove the creator is a classically theistic 'God'.

How does A.J Ayer criticise the Teleological Argument?

It is inductive, the premise cannot be definite. Therefore it should be discounted.

How does Immanuel Kant criticise the Teleological Argument?

Humans have a tendency to look for order, but perhaps the universe is actually chaotic

How does Richard Dawkins criticise the teleological argument?

Supports Darwinism, we became tailored to our surroundings through succession of random gene mutation, this natural selection is 'The Blind Watchmaker' (name of his book)

Who redeems the Teleological Argument after the discovery of Evolution?

F.R Tennant

How does F.R Tennant redeem the Teleological Argument after the discovery of Evolution? (1)

The Aesthetic Argument: humans have the ability to perceive beauty although there is no need for the universe to be beautiful and for us to appreciate it as such. Suggests a designer.

How does F.R Tennant redeem the Teleological Argument after the discovery of Evolution? (2)

The Strong Anthropic Principle: the general structure of the universe is tuned for human life (e.g. the Goldilocks principle: the Earth's temperature is perfect for human life)