Teleological Argument

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  • Created by: megshep
  • Created on: 29-03-16 17:13

Teleological- An argument which looks at the idea of purpose and order in the world. It tries to prove that there is evidence for a designer of the world (God).

William Paley - In the 18th century paley came accross the idea that the world was so complex in its design that it must have a creator. Paley believed that everything had seemed to be designed for a purpose, for example an eye is used to see, or the idea that the planets and the effect of gravity must have been created. This idea was known as qua purpose. 

The whole reason paley came accross this idea was because of a watch, he said if you saw a watch lying on the floor you would not assume that it had got there naturally and you would presume that it was created by a watch maker. However if we come accross a rock we would not question where it had come from he said that "every manifestation of design which existed in the watch, exists in the works of nature." 

St Thomas Aquinas-  Aquinas was influenced by Aristotles idea of a final cause. Aristotle says that everything in the natural world is

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