the design argument

                                                                     The design argument

the argument from design is an empiricist argument, it is also a teleological argument – an argument using purpose as its key idea. 'Telos' = purpose.

The design argument argues from the coordination and intricacy of interrelations betweens parts in living things working together for a purpose suggests that living things have been designed. If they are designed, then we can infer a designer. The argument from design argues from the order and regularity that we see in the universe we can infer the existence of a God that designed the universe.

Paley's design argument:

1. anything that has parts organised to serve a purpose is designed, e.g. a watch

2. Nature contains things which has parts designed for a purpose, e.g. the eye

3. therefore, nature contains things which are designed.

4. Design can only be explained in terms of a designer

5. a designer must be or have a mind and be distinct from what is designed

6. therefore, nature was designed by a mind that is distinct from nature

7. therefore, such a mind (God) exists.

(1) the watch has parts that are organised and put together for a purpose, and without the parts being organised the way they are – the purpose would not be fulfilled. This property having parts organised for a purpose…