The Design Argument Analysis

“With such signs of forethought in the design of living creature, can you doubt they are the work of choice or design?” (Socrates). The word ‘Telos’ is Greek for purpose. The Teleological argument thus argues that the universe is being directed towards a telos, an end purpose, and the posteriori evidence of an apparent intelligent design in the world. A posteriori argument is based on observations and/or experiences. Furthermore, the teleological argument is based on the character of the world and the universe. For example, our world is a place of such extraordinary interlocking complexity that the only rational explanation is the presence of an intelligent designer. There are two main arguments within the design argument; the first is an
analogical argument where an analogy is made between the world or its parts and objects to human design. The second is the inductive argument, which is based on the observation that the universe shows regular motion both in its parts and in the whole, a system that abides by laws or rules.
Two of the three founders of the design argument were Plato and Cicero.
Plato was from the time of approximately 400BC and stated that the human body with all its parts must owe it’s origin to a creator. Plato was a Pagan and believed in numerous Greek gods. In his work The Timaeus he suggests that a cosmic craftsman (‘the Demiurge’) may have brought together the materials of the universe to make it orderly and beautiful. Plato’s theory of forms (or ideas) lies at the heart of his philosophy. It follows on directly from his allegory of the cave and understanding reality. This theory suggests that a realm of forms exist, perfect ideals of which things in this world are but imperfect. The world that we see around us, according to this theory, is but a pale shadow of the ultimate reality. Things may appear beautiful, or just, insofar as they imitate the form of Beauty and Justice. But the imperfect and changeable world cannot capture the glory of the eternal and immutable
forms.
Cicero (also a pagan, believed in the Roman gods – 44BC) also presented key ideas about the design argument. For instance, in his work De Natura Deorum or ‘on the Nature of the Gods’ Cicero plays with the idea that you can’t believe something just occurred by chance. He famously states “When you see a Sun dial you see that it tells the time by Design and not by chance. How then can you imagine that the universe as a whole is devoid of purpose and intelligence, when it embraces everything, including these artefacts themselves and their artefacts?” Using this idea, Cicero arguably became on the most well-known philosophers of his time as he constantly challenged the evolutionary ideas of other philosophers of his day. Cicero also used the stoic character in his book to refute these ideas with arguments from design, aimed to show that the universe is governed by an intelligent designer.
There are many key ideas to the design argument; the five key features of the design argument are order, benefit, purpose suitability or human life and appearance.
In trying to clarify these elements, advocates of the design argument are focused on dismissing an obviously simple clarification: possibility. The elements of request and reason, suitability for human life, even the opportune way of the universe, could all be clarified as a consequence of one tremendous fortuitous event, likened to taking a million six-sided dice and with a solitary toss turning up six on every one of them. The outline contention looks to show that the sensitive equalization of the universe is such that the likelihood of it happening by chance is excessively remote to be even a fractional, not to mention a complete clarification. As an a posteriori contention its utilization of inductive thinking that draws on proof that is all around accessible what's more, this gives the contention enduring
offer.
Paley arrived at the conclusion that we are put on to this world for a reason and that we are not only here by chance. Paley utilizes the analogy of a watch to clarify his contention; if we somehow happened to come across a watch we would expect that it had a creator, this is mainly due to the fact it has such an intricate design, similar to a machine, so it more likely than not have been planned in view of a reason, demonstrating it can't have been made by unadulterated shot. In the event that it was composed whatever other way, it might not have worked. ‘When we came to inspect the watch, we perceive that its several parts are framed and put together for a purpose’. This is a similarity for the world as the watch is similar to the universe, it is brimming with little parts that work splendidly together, if one section wasn’t there or in a different place it would not work effectively, similar to the universe. It had an inventor; the watch had a watch maker, so along these lines the universe must have an almighty maker as the universe is so consummately made and it can't have got here by chance. Paley utilizes the standard of like causes to like effects, what is valid for human configuration is likewise valid for the world. God is far more prominent with his design power than any human. Paley additionally utilized the instincts of animals as an illustration to fortify his contention. They utilize their senses for survival, similar to a feathered creature utilizes its wings for flight and a fish uses its fins to swim. This confirmation, as Paley contended, must be the aftereffect of 'designing creator' which was God.
Aquinas was the last author of the design argument and he utilized Aristotle's and Plato's thoughts blended with his Christian convictions to make the God of Classical theism. Aquinas contended that the general request and reason for the universe is confirmation of a designer behind it. The obvious deliberate conduct of spiritless and non-sound things in the universe must be clarified by God. For instance, each year gatherings of grey whales move from their sub-arctic feeding grounds off the Alaskan coast to their Mexican breeding grounds. This is an excursion of 20, 000 kilometres which takes up to three months. These behaviour patterns once in a while change, and their deciding result is gainful to the whales, so there is reason in them. The whales are non-judicious animals yet their conduct is by the by working towards some purpose or objective. As indicated by Aquinas, something must be guiding them to do this, he trusted it is God. ‘We see that things which lack knowledge such as natural bodies act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always in the same way so as to obtain the result.’
Another sample for Aquinas' hypothesis would be an archer and an arrow. Without the direction from the archer, the arrow would not fly across the air. This is on the grounds that the arrow is a non-sane and lifeless thing. It needs this direction to achieve its last objective and satisfy its motivation. Aquinas constructed his contention in light of five premises (from the Governance of the world); he said there is gainful request in the universe, where things in the universe are working towards their end or reason. This couldn't have happened by chance. Numerous articles in the universe don't have the knowledge to work towards an end or reason, subsequently they must be coordinated by somebody that has insight and intelligence and God exists as the clarification of gainful request, the universe can't be clarified in light of the fact that the universe itself is not clear as crystal and does not display knowledge in its own particular right. Hence this is a key idea about the design argument.
Another piece of the argument is the aesthetic form (put forward by Tennant), which observes the universe has a characteristic marvel that goes past what is necessary to live. This further supports that it is a formation of God. A percentage of the excellence is a piece of the request; our valuation for it not just mirrors our fascination in things that are tastefully satisfying, enhancing our abhorrence of disorder or chaos. Beauty is additionally found in things that are not some portion of the natural world but rather as humans, regardless, we welcome them despite the fact that they have influence in the survival of humans. These things comprise of music and workmanship, and also different things, which add to the way we see the world as a useful spot to live which is engaging and appealing, despite the fact that we would have the capacity to make do without them. Tennant discovered ‘Nature is not just beautiful in places; it is saturated with beauty. Out scientific knowledge brings us no nearer to understanding the beauty of music. From an intelligent point of view, beauty seems to be superfluous and to have little survival value’. Tennant had five key observations with the perspective that the world was additionally to be viewed as superior to others in the reality it catered for good and profound measurements. The universe is coherent and not riotous; it is sustainable for human life. Human life has an attention to good worth and works in agreement with nature to keep the beauty. Tennant offers an alternate contention where he proposes that once the parts of likelihood have been recognized the confirmation of a divine designer turns out to be more plausible then not.