David Hume's Argument Analysis
One of the most recognized critiques of Aquinas is David Hume, who addressed the argument from design in his work Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Hume began by summarizing Aquinas' logic, and the many alterations that followed. Essentially, Hume argued that attributing design in the natural universe to an intelligent creator is flawed in two ways. First, he uses to analogy of a house to discredit Aquinas' inferences.
If we see a house, we conclude, with the greatest certainty, that it had an architect or builder because this is precisely that species of effect which we have experienced to proceed from that species of cause. But surely you will not affirm that the universe bears such a resemblance to a house that we can with the same …show more content…
Darwin's theory resides on the presence of Natural Selection in the animal kingdom. This means that favorable genetic mutations are "selected" for in nature, thus accounting for complex and highly specific organisms. The selection of favorable genetics is driven through competition for resources and the production of progeny. However, natural selection is a process dependent on random mutations of an organism’s genetic material. It hinges upon the fact that organisms obtaining randomly generated mutations, that provide a selective advantage in their environment, are more likely to form progeny and pass on their …show more content…
Most notably, intelligent design is a theory which has gained much support in modern circles, and attempts to account for flaws in strictly materialistic or teleological views of the universe. Intelligent Design accepts Darwinian evolution as an account referring to the development of life in the universe. The theory also accepts however, that evolution is a strictly materialistic view of the universe and is flawed in its ability to explain life's origins. Intelligent Design looks to teleological evidence to explain the origin of life and the mind behind Darwinian evolution. Thomas Nagel is one of the most notable scholars who has offered support for some of the concepts of intelligent design. Despite being an atheist, and dismissing the concept of an all-powerful God as the driving force behind intelligent design, Nagel argues that evolutionary theory fails to account for human cognition, consciousness and
If we see a house, we conclude, with the greatest certainty, that it had an architect or builder because this is precisely that species of effect which we have experienced to proceed from that species of cause. But surely you will not affirm that the universe bears such a resemblance to a house that we can with the same …show more content…
Darwin's theory resides on the presence of Natural Selection in the animal kingdom. This means that favorable genetic mutations are "selected" for in nature, thus accounting for complex and highly specific organisms. The selection of favorable genetics is driven through competition for resources and the production of progeny. However, natural selection is a process dependent on random mutations of an organism’s genetic material. It hinges upon the fact that organisms obtaining randomly generated mutations, that provide a selective advantage in their environment, are more likely to form progeny and pass on their …show more content…
Most notably, intelligent design is a theory which has gained much support in modern circles, and attempts to account for flaws in strictly materialistic or teleological views of the universe. Intelligent Design accepts Darwinian evolution as an account referring to the development of life in the universe. The theory also accepts however, that evolution is a strictly materialistic view of the universe and is flawed in its ability to explain life's origins. Intelligent Design looks to teleological evidence to explain the origin of life and the mind behind Darwinian evolution. Thomas Nagel is one of the most notable scholars who has offered support for some of the concepts of intelligent design. Despite being an atheist, and dismissing the concept of an all-powerful God as the driving force behind intelligent design, Nagel argues that evolutionary theory fails to account for human cognition, consciousness and