Teleological Arguments Essay - 849 Words

The argument from design or the teleological argument points to the existence of order and direction in nature to a kind of purpose. The argument essentially proves the existence of God. A designer must exist because the universe and living things exhibit marks of design in their complexity. Design-type arguments are unproblematic when based upon things nature plainly could not or would not produce, like human artifacts. If designs entail a designer, and the universe shows marks of design, then the universe was created. An intelligent designer is an entity that the intelligent design movement argues had some role in the development of life. Essentially, the claim being made is that certain aspects of the universe are too perfectly†¦show more content†¦However, if one stumbled across a stone it would be difficult for one to explain how it got there. Secondly, just as the complexity of a watch imply intelligent design, Paley suggested that the universe too implies intelligent design. The eye is usually used as an example of design. â€Å"I know no better method of introducing so large a subject, than that of comparing a single thing with a single thing; an eye, for example, with a telescope† (Klemke 32). Paley stated that both of these are instruments and bear resemblance to one another. In order for the eye or telescope to work, there must be many dissimilar convergent parts that individually have no role but have value only in a designed whole. Therefore, it is only in the joined unity that they exhibit their total function. David Hume counter-argued against the argument from design. He noted that although we know that man-made structures are designed because we have seen them being built, the analogy does not hold for non-man-made structures. A theist must be able to show that natural objects in the universe were manufactured in some way. For example, trees, humans and rocks. The analogy then requires the existence of an intelligent designer. Hume criticizes the claim that artifacts and the universe are similar in the right ways because we have only had experience with just one universe. He rejects the analogy between the material universe and a humanShow MoreRelatedEssay The Teleological Argument1368 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Paley and David Hume’s argument over God’s existence is known as the teleological argument, or the argument from design. Arguments from design are arguments concerning God or some type of creator’s existence based on the ideas of order or purpose in univer se. Hume takes on the approach of arguing against the argument of design, while Paley argues for it. Although Hume and Paley both provide very strong arguments, a conclusion will be drawn at the end to distinguish which philosophiser holdsRead MoreRichard Swinburnes Teleological Argument790 Words   |  4 PagesRichard Swinburnes Teleological Argument Although explicated on many occasions and by many different authors, the teleological argument for the existence of God provides the best springboard from which to launch contemporary convictions of faith. In the revised edition of his earlier The Existence of God, Richard Swinburne constructs a solid outline that reveals the exact structure of the teleological argument. He presents both forms of the teleological argument , holds each under theRead MoreExamine the Key Features of the Teleological Argument?1491 Words   |  6 PagesExamine the key features of the Teleological argument. The word teleological comes from the Greek word ‘Telos’ which means purpose. 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Furthermore, the teleological argumentRead MoreSummary Of On Being An Atheist1341 Words   |  6 Pageshis thoughts on the matter in a journal article in 1968 titled â€Å"On Being an Atheist†. In his article McCloskey aims to discredit cosmological and teleological arguments for a creator and he uses the existence of evil in the world as evidence that a divine creator cannot exist. McCloskey routinely refers to the cosmological and teleological arguments as believers’ â€Å"proof† of God’s existence; however, this is not an accurate statement. (McCloskey, 1968) Foreman points out in his presentation; weRead MoreEssay about The Characteristics of God1108 Words   |  5 PagesThe Characteristics of God In Section eleven of An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Hume argues that if a teleological argument is sufficient proof for a god, then that god must have deficiencies in morality, power, benevolence and intelligence. 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