‘the Design Arguments Prove God’s Existence’. Assess This View.
‘The design arguments prove God’s existence’.
Assess this view. (30 marks)
Design arguments, also sometimes known as teleological arguments, from the Greek ‘Telos’ for goal and ‘Logos’, meaning reason, hence reasoning for a goal or purpose and that purpose being God’s existence. These arguments endeavour to ascertain God’s existence, by inferring from evidence of design and purpose in the universe, and claim that there must have been a designer of this. Design arguments start from experience, so they are a posteriori and use inductive reasoning, as we infer from a specific observation, a general conclusion.
Design arguments usually point to certain examples in the universe, such as the complexity of the human body, and especially the human eye, as it works together coherently to accomplish a purpose. Also the position of the earth in relation to other astronomical factors, such as earth’s perfect positioning in relation to the sun, if it were to be just a bit further away or closer to the sun, then human life could not emerge and sustain itself; the earth’s climate consequently being too hot or too cold. Also Jupiter’s position is perfect, as it deflects a significant amount of meteorites due to its gigantic magnetic field; furthermore, the earth is also in perfect accordance to moon, as it controls the tides, which enables human life to sustain.
Saint Thomas Aquinas’ version of the design argument was first presented in his ‘Summa Theologica’, where he offers a way in which God’s existence could be demonstrated. Aquinas claims that things that lack intelligence, such as living organism have an objective or purpose, and without some sort of director to lead them to their objective, who possess intelligence and knowledge. Aquinas famously uses the archer analogy, where he states that without an archer, an arrow will not go to its target, but will require something to direct it; hence the archer. Therefore, by the outcome of the analogy, it is logical
Assess this view. (30 marks)
Design arguments, also sometimes known as teleological arguments, from the Greek ‘Telos’ for goal and ‘Logos’, meaning reason, hence reasoning for a goal or purpose and that purpose being God’s existence. These arguments endeavour to ascertain God’s existence, by inferring from evidence of design and purpose in the universe, and claim that there must have been a designer of this. Design arguments start from experience, so they are a posteriori and use inductive reasoning, as we infer from a specific observation, a general conclusion.
Design arguments usually point to certain examples in the universe, such as the complexity of the human body, and especially the human eye, as it works together coherently to accomplish a purpose. Also the position of the earth in relation to other astronomical factors, such as earth’s perfect positioning in relation to the sun, if it were to be just a bit further away or closer to the sun, then human life could not emerge and sustain itself; the earth’s climate consequently being too hot or too cold. Also Jupiter’s position is perfect, as it deflects a significant amount of meteorites due to its gigantic magnetic field; furthermore, the earth is also in perfect accordance to moon, as it controls the tides, which enables human life to sustain.
Saint Thomas Aquinas’ version of the design argument was first presented in his ‘Summa Theologica’, where he offers a way in which God’s existence could be demonstrated. Aquinas claims that things that lack intelligence, such as living organism have an objective or purpose, and without some sort of director to lead them to their objective, who possess intelligence and knowledge. Aquinas famously uses the archer analogy, where he states that without an archer, an arrow will not go to its target, but will require something to direct it; hence the archer. Therefore, by the outcome of the analogy, it is logical