Philosophy and Ethics - The Teleological Argument

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  • The Teleological Argument
    • Pro's
      • The Probability of Design
        • Richard Swinburne supports the argument on the grounds that the probability of design is greater than chance. Seven features of the world demand explanation: its existence; its order; its consciousness; the opportunity to do good; the pattern of history; miracles; religious experience.
      • Thomas Aquinas - The Fifth Way
        • The beneficial order int he world simply can't happen by chance and since many objects don't have enouch intelligence to work towards an end or purpose, they musrt be directed by something that does have intelligence, i.e. God.
      • William Paley's Watch: He also claims that if the watch goes wrong, or if there is evidence of bad design, or if we haven't seen one before, we could still deduce that it had been designed, just like ourselves.
    • Con's
      • The features of the univers could be coincidence. A cosmic happening pruducing something that appears to be designed. REicard Dawkins suggest it's the product of several smaller chances rather than one big chance.
      • Not everyone perceive's design within the universe.
      • Evolution and Natural Selection are just as likely as God being a designer of creation. Surely as things elolve to suit their environment, they will appear to have been designed to suit it otherwise they wouldn't survive.
      • The aesthetic argument is unconvincing, since beauty is subjective. What one persons perceives as beautiful, another might not. Also, since we don't have another world to compare our to, how do we know it is beautiful?
    • Thomas Aquinas - The Fifth Way
      • The beneficial order int he world simply can't happen by chance and since many objects don't have enouch intelligence to work towards an end or purpose, they musrt be directed by something that does have intelligence, i.e. God.
    • Other Forms of the Argument
      • The Argument for Providence
        • The universe contains everything needed for human survival and benefit
      • The Aesthetic Argument
        • The world is beautiful
      • The Anthropic Principle
        • The purpose of the universe appears to be to support human life
    • The Probability of Design
      • Richard Swinburne supports the argument on the grounds that the probability of design is greater than chance. Seven features of the world demand explanation: its existence; its order; its consciousness; the opportunity to do good; the pattern of history; miracles; religious experience.

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