Teleological argument

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Created by: millyrobinson
Created on: 03-05-16 16:45

Basic TA

Evidence of order suggests universe has designer

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Weaknesses of basic TA

1) what sort of designer? 2) could order have another source? 3) is the designer still here?

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Paley's watch

A watch shows evidence of intelligent purpose as does the universe and if a watch calls for a watchmaker then the universe calls for a designer

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Criticisms of Paley's watch from John Stuart Mill

1) Paley's watch was built upon analogy that implies similar effect implies similar cause 2) this is weak when dissimilarities are great 3) this is evident since watches imply watchmakers because we know this from experience thus the argument is weak

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Further criticisms from J.S Mill

1) TA cannot prove God of Christianity 2) God cannot be both omnibenevolent and omnipotent since God allows natural disasters

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Aquinas' fifth way

we see things which lack intelligence act for an end (acting in the same way to achieve best result) and they cannot do this without guidance by an intelligent being endowed with knowledge and this being we call God

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David Hume's Cleanthe's great machine maker

there is a GREAT design in the universe which implies a GREAT designer (similar effects implies similar causes)

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Hume's criticisms of the TA

1) unsound analogy (works of nature and man are too dissimilar) 2) there are other possible analogies which means there are other possible causes 3) similar effects imply similar causes 4) perhaps happened by chance since universe eternally in motion

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Kant's criticisms

1) only proves an architect not creator 2) fails to prove God with characteristics of theism

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Charles Darwin

1) if man evolved from lower life forms then he could not have been designed (best adapted species survived in struggle for food)

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

1) what sort of designer? 2) could order have another source? 3) is the designer still here?

Back

Weaknesses of basic TA

Card 3

Front

A watch shows evidence of intelligent purpose as does the universe and if a watch calls for a watchmaker then the universe calls for a designer

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

1) TA cannot prove God of Christianity 2) God cannot be both omnibenevolent and omnipotent since God allows natural disasters

Back

View more cards

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Teleological argument