Preview

Paley's Argument From Design

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1199 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Paley's Argument From Design
Sattam Alhowaish
Dr. Thomas Package
PH 200
September 28, 2015

All life around us seems like it has patterns. Isn’t true? Throughout class we have discussed the outcomes of what or who God is or if he even exists. The design from argument theory suggests that everything is relevant and was produced by something greater than us. The Argument from Design tries to prove the existence of God by asserting the claim that in order for a design to exist there must have been a designer (God). The idea that everything has a purpose and is determined fails because it doesn’t prove that the living organisms have only one designer. Hume reflects upon Paleys argument and develops a counter argument which he suggests disproves the idea of one and only one
…show more content…
As he continues, Paley comes upon a watch, he believes that watch must have a designer, if the watch replicates you would conclude the designer is somewhat better. Paley would begin to assume that it was not created by nature was designed and because its ability to replicate is extraordinary that it means that the creator is extraordinary. The watch can’t be reproduced and begins to replicate the conclusion Paley refers to is that the watch as an artifact not naturally occurring. Paley believes that evidence for his argument can be found in nature citing examples of animals, humans and …show more content…
This inference refers to the possibility that God is the designer and designed (humans, animals, plants) for a reason. To object his claim, if God is the perfect designer why would he design an imperfect world filled with death and destruction (maybe because he wants to). A perfect God that developed the world would remove all of what is flawed from the world. Humans are as imperfect as the world that was supposedly was developed by God, then humans made a lot of developments that made life easier then it used to be. Although, Paley’s argument for design possesses a vital question regarding the randomness, or even the lack thereof, during the creation of every part of the universe he ultimately fails in proving its

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In chapter 2, Professor Wright believes that someone’s knowledge of the relationship between God and his world is the foundation to truly understanding biology. People sometimes use terms to refer to the natural world such as cosmos, nature or creation. A naturalistic worldview believes nature came about through evolution. A theistic worldview believes God is the creator. Richard uses Genesis as a great witness to the maker of the world. Creation by his word and wisdom speaks of his great authority over the earth. The creation of life is a great example of God’s Supreme Being. Richard also speaks that creation is in obedience to God, and that the primary purpose of all creation is to bring glory to God. All creation should praise him.…

    • 2342 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With this premise, Paley introduces the connection between the watch and our universe. He explains clearly that if a watch needs a designer, surely the far more complex universe should need one to. Paley justifies the existence of God through this watch and universe simile. He concludes that if a watch needs a superior designer, then the universe needs a maker as well, this maker being God.…

    • 756 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Examine the ways in which the design argument provides evidence for the existence of God…

    • 984 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There is one prevailing question we ask ourselves consistently, “Does God exist?” Every human answer’s that question in their own unique way, which is contingent upon their beliefs, experiences, and influences. The existence of God was significantly debated among philosophers during the 18th and 19th centuries and each esteemed philosopher had a distinct argument explaining their rationale, while criticizing another’s. In this paper, I will analyze William Paley’s argument, “The Teleological Argument,” and how it is disparaged by David Hume and his argument for apparent…

    • 86 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The existence of God has been a popular and yet ongoing debate for many years now. There are many arguments that argue for God’s existence just as there are many arguments against God’s existence. This paper will argue for the proof of God’s existence according to William Paley’s teleological argument. The teleological argument is often described as an argument which stems from either design or intelligent design, but this can be considered as misleading.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    One is that while human creations and parts of nature are very similar they are also very different. Human creations are just as complex as nature. Nature, however, is far superior because it is self-perpetuating. The woodpecker’s tongue is incredibly complex and the woodpecker’s offspring will have the same complex tongue and on and on. These parts of nature can go on and on without the designers help while human creations require constant upkeep and guidance. Watches will sooner or later lose time or gears will rust or break and require a designer’s repair. This is one of the key differences that separate God’s designs from that of human’s. Another difference is that everything that humans create serves one or two distinct purposes. Human artifacts are created with those distinct purposes in mind though when we look at our solar system or Earth and at humans and animals there are an infinite number of possible purposes. The final question of this objection is: does it matter if God is finite and imperfect? This designer obviously has much more power and intelligence than that of humans and being finite and imperfect should not hinder its ability to create. If God is infinite and imperfect, why would he use his infinite and perfect power to create such flawed beings as humans? The objection dealing with the conclusion of multiple Gods asks the same question as the first objection. What is changed by the conclusion of multiple Gods? Robert Hambourger talks about this in his article titled “Can Design Arguments Be Defended Today”. In it, he talks about the great achievement that it would be to prove that the natural phenomena were created by intentional action, even if it could not be proved to have been done by a single entity (286). Ultimately, it should not matter what created our known universe as much as if our universe was created. Therefore, the objections to design arguments…

    • 1028 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    73 Evans, Manis). However the argument itself if just a mere introduction into what “God” is or rather who “God” might be. Evans and Manis hint to this in their final paragraph. McCloskey’s version of the argument is misguided in the notion that each individual argument is to be pulled apart singularly or that they cannot relate to form an over arching theme that “Gods” existence is dependent upon many facets. One may look to the “The Absurdity of Life Without God” article when defending this frame of view. That without “God” and the necessity of existence humanity is just a happy accident that is riddled with a meaningless purpose. Though personally the purpose of life and the existence of “God” are not relatable other than the fact they are ideas and existential questions asked only to attempt to “prove” the cause of unexplainable events or…

    • 1881 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Telelogical argument

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Examine the key ideas and strengths of the design argument for the existence of God?…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Teleological Argument

    • 1906 Words
    • 8 Pages

    “With such signs of forethought in the design of living creature, can you doubt they are the work of choice or design?” (Socrates) The Design argument looks at the order and purpose, or telos, in the world and states that it implies that there must be a designer who made the world ‘just right’ for human existence. Religious believers go on to state that this designer is God. The argument states that if one uses one’s senses to look at order, such as gravity and the motion of the planets, which exists in the world, it is likely that one will accept that there is a designer God who created the world and gave it this order. Thus, the argument is both a posteriori, based on experience, and inductive, containing a conclusion that we are likely to accept if we believe the premises to be true. Although the argument was one of Aquinas’ five ‘ways’ in his book, Summa Theologica, the most famous version of the Argument from Design was put forward by William Paley in his book Natural Theology (1802), and therefore, this essay will focus mainly on Paley’s version of the argument.…

    • 1906 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The anthropic principle proposes that the reason and purpose for the universe is the support of human life: ‘As we look out into the Universe and identify the many accidents…the Universe must in some case have know we were coming’ (Freeman Dyson, The Anthropic Cosmological Principle). It also demonstrates that the design argument need not reject the principles of evolution in order to assume a designing God. However, theistic supporters of evolution argue that scientific principles alone are not enough to explain a perfectly balanced natural order that…

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to William Paley in his short passage, The Intelligence of the Watch-Maker, the universe does have a creator. Through his Natural Teological view, he explains this claim by using a metaphor where a watch resembles the universe. He believes that if one were to stumble upon a watch, or observe the universe, they would come to the inevitable inference that the watch, or the universe, must have some kind of maker who developed its structure and had a purpose for its creation. Some may object that because no one has seen the creator of the universe that there must not be one or that since the universe may not always work perfectly means that there is no creator because a they would make it a flawless system. However, he claims that even…

    • 224 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teleological Argument

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Teleology is an argument of God’s existence following the evidence of order defined as the design of nature. Teleological arguments also known as arguments from design, explain the order in the universe to the existence of God. The universe is believed to be ordered towards some end or a certain purpose. It is more reasonable to suggest that the universe was created by an intelligent being to accomplish a purpose rather than it being there by chance (McGrath, 2010). The teleological argument has been used to show the existence of God with popular arguments including that of William Paley. Paley used a watch to relate to the order, complexity and purpose of the universe. A watch has a number of ordered parts that work in harmony for an end…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The never ending argument of God’s existence that has been around for years comes up again between Craig and Dacey. Craig present 5 arguments for God’s existence and I think the strongest point that he made out of all the five is that God is the best explanation of why something exist rather than nothing. Craig explains this point by breaking down the idea that if something exist, it must exist by its own nature or it must have an external cause. And as we know the universe, it seems plausible that it must have a designer, a transcended being which is known as God. This is similar to the idea of infinite cause and finite being that we see in Descartes.…

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    William Paley’s View on the Watch and the Watchmaker. He was an English theologian and philosopher who lived in the 18th and early 19th centuries. He is best known for his influential work "Natural Theology," in which he presents the famous analogy of the watch and the watchmaker. With his argument, which is often referred to as the argument from design, which asserts that the complexity and orderliness observed in the natural world are symbolic of a divine creator, just as the intricate design of a watch may imply the existence of a skilled watchmaker. Paley's analogy has played a significant role in the development of natural theology and continues to be discussed in debates about the existence of God and the relationship between science…

    • 2348 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    We know that watches come are made by intelligent watchmakers; but we do not have a parallel experience with regard to the universe. Thus by drawing an analogy between a machine and the universe would resemble the futile efforts of trying to learn the generation of a man from observing the growth of a hair. Philo also refutes Cleanthes claims of existence of a creator. In Part III Section 146 he highlights the possibility that the universe is self-caused. If we assume all things require a cause, we must apply that to the creator.…

    • 600 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays