Arguments Based on Observation

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  • Created by: blcm
  • Created on: 27-03-19 20:12
What does an a posteriori depend on?
Experience & observation
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What leads the Teleological Argument to conclude that God exists?
Use of observation - order, beauty & complexity
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What does natural theology seek to understand?
The existence & nature of God by observing the world around us
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What is Ockham's Razor?
A principle that says the best explanation is usually the one which requires the fewest extra assumptions.
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Who is the main philosopher for the Teleological Argument?
Aquinas
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What of the Five Ways is a short teleological argument?
The fifth
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What analogy is used for the Teleological Argument?
Arrow in flight
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What does the arrow indicate?
The arrow must have been shot on purpose as it is in motion - they cannot move themselves
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What does the archer analogy link to?
The planets - they move in an orderly way, must be a divine being who has put them in motion. They cannot move on their own
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Who else, other than Aquinas, is a key philosopher with the teleological argument?
Paley
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What analogy does Paley use?
Watch being found in a field
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What does the watch analogy show?
When we see things working in an orderly & purposeful manner, they must have been designed
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How does the watch analogy link to the world?
Can see order & purpose in the world too like structure & animals & plants; can conclude they must have been designed by God. Care God put in the world shows he cares for us
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What argument for God's existence is based on the First Three of Aquinas' Five Ways?
The Cosmological Argument
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What is the First Way?
The Unmoved Mover - observe motion & change in the world. Must be a reason for it; God
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What is the Second Way?
The Uncaused Causer - observe chains of cause & effect in the world. Must be a reason for it; God
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What is the Third Way?
Contingency - observe that everything in the universe depends on something else for its existence. Must be something that is necessary, otherwise nothing would have started; must be God
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What is Leibniz's Principle of Sufficient Wisdom?
Argued there must be a sufficient reason or explanation for everything. The universe requires a sufficient reason, the only reason sufficient enough to explain the universe must be God
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What is the Anthropic Principle?
Says the universe seems expertly fine-tuned to allow for human life to exist - seems this is a result of deliberate design than that it happened by chance
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What is Hume critical of?(4)
Analogy between the world & a watch is weak, just because things have causes doesn't mean the world has one, order in the world does not establish that someone designed it & universe is unique & we cannot know how it was made
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Other criticisms of Teleological Argument: Strengths? (1)
We can all see the world around us & appreciate elements of beauty
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Other criticisms of Teleological Argument: Weaknesses? (3)
Evolution offers another explanation for the characteristics of living things, chance is a possibility & some see the world as ugly, chaotic & pointless
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Other criticisms of a posteriori: Strengths? (3)
Appealing as they use evidence we can see for ourselves, discourages arrogance & encourages questioning & some new evidence could come along which forces the need for a new explanation
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Other criticisms of a posteriori: Weaknesses? (1)
Only leads to probable conclusions, experiences are not always the same (especially when observing things)
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Criticisms of Cosmological Arguments: Strengths? (1)
We all share the experience that the universe exists
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Criticisms of Cosmological Argument: Weaknesses?
Other theories (Big Bang) could be considered a better fit, not everyone thinks the universe provides an explanation or reason & as an a posteriori argument can only lead to probable conclusions
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Card 2

Front

What leads the Teleological Argument to conclude that God exists?

Back

Use of observation - order, beauty & complexity

Card 3

Front

What does natural theology seek to understand?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is Ockham's Razor?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Who is the main philosopher for the Teleological Argument?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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