Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Design Argument William Paley - Coggle Diagram
Design Argument
William Paley
The Argument
Posteriori
(sense experience)
Inductive
(uses premises to draw a conclusion)
Cats in Canada
William Paley
bases his argument on complexity, Regularity and Purpose
Purpose
: The regularity and complexity of the universe implies it must have a designer
Regularity
: our seasons follow a set structure
Complexity
: bits of the universe, like nature are made of complex parts
Watch analogy
: a stone was found by a heath, which was usual as stones do not have any complex/regular/purpose. Paley questioned that if he found a watch on the heath, how it compared to the stone. The watch has purpose/regularity/complexity so it must have a talented creator. Since the universe shares these qualities, Paley says God is the creator
Crisicisms
Even if the universe was designed, there is no evidence the designer was God:
Orchestra example - For Paley, he jumps to the view that God is the designer, but this does not need to be the case.
limited designer
evolution
team of designers
The existence of evil and imperfection in the world suggests a limited designer:
Hume asks if God is omnibenevolent, why is there evil?
Analogies between the way the universe works and the way machines work are unsound:
For Hume, the world is like a vast floating vegetable – a biological matter. As vegetables grow themselves – our world had vegetation on before us, there is no need for a designer. .Whereas a watch is a mechanical piece, which requires a designer
The universe could have developed into an ordered state by chance:
This is Hume’s ‘Epicurean Hypothesis’. For Hume, the world’s states reflects the changing arrangements of atoms.
Proof
: Paleys argument has the possibility of being powerful in terms of proof, if all the inductive evidence points to the same conclusion
Paley would not argue it is difinitive proof as it is inductive, but it is strong proof
Science would disagree as Paleys view does not consider alternative views like chance
Value
:
it supports faith through reasoning
it is valuable as it can counter atheist arguments
Supports Henry Prices' view that belief God made the universe supports the idea of there being a God
many argue it has no value as faith does not depend on probability
Reason and Faith
: You must require reason to understand the argument, but also faith to affirm the argument is true, as you would have faith in God
Evaluation
Strength 1:
Paley would respond to the problem of evil critique by arguing there is a reason for evil
Strength 2:
Paley’s view that the Christian omnipotent God made the universe is the simplest explanation - Richard Swinburne supports, as
‘simplicity is always evidence for truth’.
However
: The universe could have been made by a team of lesser
beings; or even chance through the big bang and evolution.
However
: The sheer amount of evil makes it difficult to accept God is a good designer.
Strength 3
: Evolution does not destroy the need for a designer God, as God may have designed evolution as part of his plan
However
: Evolution shows that nature designs itself over time, it does not need intervention or a designer.
Strength 4:
Paley’s argument is simple, as it is inductive.
However
: his argument is probable but not confirmed. it is also possible that it is not God