Explain Aquinas' version of the teleological argument. (25)

Explain Aquinas' version of the teleological argument. (25)

Intro

• telos means purpose and is applied to the argument as it is based on the fact there is apparent order and purpose in the world
• a posteriori based on evidence gained through the senses
• inductive argument so if we accept the premises then the conclusions are likely but not definitely true

Paragraph 1

• Aquinas wrote about the teleological argument in his book Summa Theologica and gave 5 ways to god
  • the fifth way was his version of the design argument
  • avoided the word proof or proves as he was aware it was not possible to prove gods existence so provided ways to god instead
• he used evidence of the order and regularity in the world as evidence of a designer at work and a common source of the universe
• this theory was called design qua regularity
• analogy of the archer
  • Aquinas asked us to think about a bow and archer
  • as the bow lacks knowledge is because a thinking being ie the archer as propelled and directed…