The Design Argument

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Who came up with the design argument?
Paley
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What type of argument is the design argument? (give 3)
a posteriori (based on experience) inductive (uses premises to build on strong evidence that leads to a probabilistic conclusion) analogical (bases on a comparison between the features of two different features)
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what 3 observations of the world is this argument based on?
complexity, regularity, purpose
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What does Paley compare the universe to?
a watch
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there are two parts to Paley's argument - explain the part with the watch
watch is complex regular and has purpose of telling the time, it could not have occurred by chance, an intelligent watchmaker must have designed it
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there are two parts to Paley's argument - explain the part with the universe
universe is complex regular and has purpose, it could not have occurred by chance, far greater complexity etc. of the universe requires an infinitely greater designer, the universe designer must be God
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what does Richard Swinburne say about the design argument?
the existence of an omnipotent God is a simpler, and therefore better explanation of the appearance of design in the universe - "simplicity is always evidence for truth"
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how is the existence of evil necessary to bring about good? (3 explanations)
The free will defence (God gave us free-will to act how we choose so its our fault not God's) Process theologians (they argue that God is all-loving but not all-powerful) Irenaeus Hick (argues evil is soul-making, needed to learn to love the good)
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How is it that evolution does not destroy the design argument?
God could have started the process of evolution. - it could have been part of the plan. God could be keeping the laws of evolution in order
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how does Paley's conclusion that the designer is metaphysical and transcendent fit the Christian God?
it would be impossible to design such a system from the inside, this applies to science too - the laws could only have come from an external source - God
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how is 'nature shows intention' supported by the anthropic principle?
the anthropic principle argues that the universe was specifically designed to give life to human beings. The universe has allowed for conscious life to emerge because it has the correct laws of science to allow for human life to occurr
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how is 'nature shows intention' supported by the fine-tuning arguments?
the fine-tuning argument states that the probability of living in a universe designed for life is miniscule. If any one of the 30 boundary conditions were even a fraction out, life would not exist. God has 'fine-tuned' our universe
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Who criticises Design arguments?
Hume
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what are the 5 criticisms Hume makes?
not necessarily Christian God, evil suggests limited designer, Analogies between how universe and machines work are unsound, anthropomorphism, universe could have developed into different state by chance
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How is Paley's conclusion not necessarily The Christian God he claims it to be?
it could have been produced by a team of lesser beings, Paley's conclusion is out of proportion to the evidence
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How does the existence of evil suggest a limited designer?
God is omnipotent and omnibenevolent yet evil exists. If he has the power to stop evil and is all loving to want to stop it then why does evil exist?
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explain how analogies between the way the universe works and they way machines work are unsound
the worls is more like a vegetable, growing itself without the need for a designer. This is backed up strongly by the theory of evolution
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How is it anthropomorphic to make an analogy between the designers of human machines and the designer of the universe?
we have no experience of universe-making, so our ideas about it are lifted from our own limited experience. we have no idea of what it takes to design a universe, or what the designer would be like.
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How could the universe have developed into a comparatively ordered state simply by chance?
the multiverse theory suggests there's an infinite amount of universe so the chance of living in an ordered universe is more probable. the universe is constantly changing atoms which eventually should become ordered
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what is reason?
rationality (facts, evidence, science, logic)
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what is faith?
trust or confidence in something beyond our experience/knowledge.
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what does fideism value?
they say that FAITH is the only way to understand God
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what does deism value?
they say that you can come to knowledge of God through REASON alone
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What does the Catholic church argue?
they say a combination of FAITH and REASON is necessary
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name two fideists
Martin Luther and Soren Kierkegaard
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what did martin Luther argue in relation to the relationship between faith and reason?
faith and reason cannot work together because the greatest enemy of faith is reason
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what did Kierkegaard argue in relation to the relationship between faith and reason?
you can't prove God's existwnce, you just have to believe it. You must take a leap of faith like Abraham did with Isaac
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What is the rebuttal of Fideism?
faith with no reason stops people from questioning what they believe the 'Great Pumpkin Objection' - believing in God only by faith is like believing a pumpkin will visit you every year but never comes, yet you do not abandon your belief
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What does Richard Dawkins argue in relation to the relationship between faith and reason?
belief is God is unreasonable - there is no rationality behind the belief in God so faith must be removed. What makes religion different to science is that scientists can change their mind.
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what is the rebuttal to Swinburne's argument?
science only shows the parts of God that are unreasonable leading to a 'God of gaps', where science can't answer Qs we fill the gaps which can't be rejected as there's no evidence for/against it, many scientific hypotheses regarding universe origin
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what did H.H. Price argue in relation to the relationship between faith and reason?
when it comes to understanding God/religion, there are two types of belief: 'belief that' and 'belief in'
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define 'belief that'
based on reason that God exists
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define 'belief in'
based on faith that God exists
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what is interested belief in?
where believers are interested in the benefits of believing in God
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what is disinterested belief in?
believes that God is fundamentally good in himself
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what is the rebuttal for the 'belief that' and 'belief in' argument?
How can you believe in God when it's not based on facts - it's based on faith. If you can't prove that God exists then why would you believe in him? (links to the pumpkin objection)
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Catholic Church - What did Aquinas argue in relation to the relationship between faith and reason?
the Bible is not the only way to understand God as that would stop people who didn't have a Bible going to Heaven which wouldn't be fair of an omnibenevolent God. God reveals himself through both general and special revelation
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why is Paley's argument valuable to theists and athiests?
it allows to reason and discuss God, talking about him rationally and meaningfully, without the need for special revelation, anyone can believe Paley's argument
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how can the design argument be used as part of the religious defence against atheism?
theists can use it as rational reasons for belief, atheists have no proof against God's existence
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why may some be convinced by the simplicity of Paley's argument?
its simplicity makes it easy to believe, it seems reasonable, so they believe it and for those who are unsure what to believe, the simplicity of Paley's argument could provide a basis for belief
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how could it be argued that the design argument has no value for faith?
faith does not depend on any kind of proof or probability: it depends on committment to God and to a religious way of life
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What type of argument is the design argument? (give 3)

Back

a posteriori (based on experience) inductive (uses premises to build on strong evidence that leads to a probabilistic conclusion) analogical (bases on a comparison between the features of two different features)

Card 3

Front

what 3 observations of the world is this argument based on?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What does Paley compare the universe to?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

there are two parts to Paley's argument - explain the part with the watch

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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