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The design / cosmological argument - Coggle Diagram
The design / cosmological argument
Paley's watch analogy:
The analogy:
In Paley's book called natural theology he explains his watch analogy 1802
It goes along the lines of that a watch needs to be put together by a watchmaker because it is complex and needs order unlike something simple like a rock. Therefore, the universe must also have a creator because it too is complex and the only being able to do this is God
It is an A Protesriori argument
Design qua purpose
The argument that the universe appears to have been designed to fulfil some purpose
Design qua regularity
The argument that the universe appears to behave according to some order or rule
Counters:
Darwins theory of evolution is the main counter to Paley's theory as it argues that things are complex due to millions of years of evolution instead of it being designed by God
Some responses include the belief in Intelligent Design that the theory of evolution is wrong
Another belief is that God started the process of evolution and James Sadowsky believed this
F.R Tennant said that evolution on a careful balance of conditions, possibly caused by God.
Hume said that the universe is a unique object and therefore there is no one with any experience of how to build a universe so it is impossible
However Swineburne counters this by saying that the universe may be unique but we still know something of its origins
Dawkins wrote a book called the blind watch maker where he criticises Paley's theory by weaponising Darwins theory further
Modern versions of Plaley's watch analogy:
F.R Tennant
He came up with the "weak anthropic principle" which is the belief that the conditions of the universe allow for life to develop, but this need not have been the case. God is probably responsible for this careful balance
Richard Swinburne
He came up with the probabilistic argument for God's existence as the chances for intelligent human life developing are so small that it is more likely that we have been designed by God instead
Swinburne also came up with the aesthetic argument that there is so much natural beauty in the world that is unnecessary, E.G: pretty flowers, that a God must have designed it
However, J.S Mill counters this by saying that there is also a lot of harshness and brutality in nature E.G: Larvae burrowing out of children's eyes
Cosmological argument:
Kalam Argument:
Everything that has a beginning of its existence has a cause of its existence
The universe has a beginning of existence
The universe has a cause of its existence
If the universe has a cause of its existence then the cause must be God
Key Quotes:
"The universe is just there, that's all" - Bertrand Russell
"Scientists can no longer hide behind a past / eternal universe. There is no escape, they have ti face the problem of a cosmic beginner" - Alexander Vilenkin
"If you suppose the world eternal, you will suppose nothing but a succession of states and will not find in any of them a sufficient reason" - Leibniz
"Nothing came from nothing" - Aristotle
Russell and F.C Coplestone radio debate:
Broadcasted in 1948 the radio debate is often considered a masterclass in philosophical debating
In the debate Copleston presents a version of the cosmological argument based on contingency which takes ideas from Aquinas' third way and Leibniz's principle of sufficient reason
Russell responds to Copleston by questioning whether necessary existence is a meaningful concept and whether we are justified in assuming that there are causes and whether he universe requires explanation or is just a brute fact
Aquinas' ways:
First way: Motion
It is certain that things in the world are in motion
Whatever is in motion must have been put in motion by another thing
Only which is actualised can cause motion from potentially to actually in other things
A thing cannot be the mover and the moved at the same time
Therefore there cannot be infinite regression
The prime mover is God
Second way: Cause
We can observe cause and effect
It is impossible for something to cause itself as it would have to have existed prior to itself
There cannot be infinite regression as without a first cause there is no effect
There must be a first efficient cause
The uncaused causer is God
Third way: Possibility and Necessity
Everything is either continent or necessary
If everything is contingent, at one point in time nothing would have existed
If that were true then nothing would now exist as something cant come from nothing
But we know there is something and there cant be infinite regress
All contingent beings therefore depend on one necessary being and this being is God
Criticisms of Aquinas:
Possibility of infinite regress
Bertrend Russell - The universe is a "Brute fact"
Aquinas makes and inductive leap
Contradiction as he says everything has a cause but then says God doesn't
Kant - "The notion of a necessary, unique being, is a logical impossibility