The Design Argument can be split into two sides: design qua purpose and design qua regularity. The key idea of design qua purpose comes from William Paley. He used analogy as the basis for his argument, noting how the complex design of a watch allows all the parts to work together perfectly to achieve its purpose. He then noted the complexity, order and purpose of the universe, stating that "every manifestation on design, which existed in the watch, exists in the works of nature." Therefore if a watch's intricacy stands as evidence that it has been designed, by analogy the universe must also have a designer and, as the designer is required to be supremely powerful, the designer must be God.…
Examine the ways in which the design argument provides evidence for the existence of God…
The ontological argument rests on the premise that the universe’s existence is contingent- it depends on something else to exist. The argument is deductive, analytic and a priori, and was first formed by St. Anselm, who prayed for a short argument that would prove God to be “that than which nothing greater can be conceived”. This prayer was called the proslogion and tried to prove God by means of reductio ad absurdum, which states that the existence of God is logically necessary. The argument is based on the word “God”, a being that possesses all perfections, therefore must exist. Anselm was aware that the existence of God is denied by atheists and in response to this, he states “the fool has said in his heart there is no God”.…
As well there is no limit to how great this island could be because the properties that add to the greatness of this island have no intrinsic maximum, so could not possibly exist. Another of Gaunilo’s flaws with his objection is that he spoke of the most perfect island and not the most perfect island conceivable. This makes Gaunilo’s objection flawed as he is not basing his argument on the same basis of Anselm, that being his definition of God. Anselm also claims in his argument that God exists in the understanding, because God is not able to literally exist in the understanding. It is true that God may be idea or perception that we have though and this was another objection to his…
The ontological argument describes God as “a being than which nothing greater can be conceived”, Anselm argued that the greatest possible being must exist otherwise he would not be the greatest possible being, although he must be the greatest possible being in every way including mind and reality. Anselm said atheists can define God even if they don’t believe in him. René Descartes said “I think therefore I am”, this means that if you can think about it you do exist, therefore if we think about God; he must exist. God must have all perfections in order to be the greatest being; existence was perfection is…
Examine some of the key principles of the argument for the existence of God based upon religious experiences…
The design argument is concerned to find the meaning or purpose in this world; they seek to move from facts about the world to God. Like the cosmological argument, the design argument draws back to arguments put forward by Socrates and Plato who said that ‘the human body, with all its principles and elements must owe its origin…of Zeus’. The design argument considers a number of issues for example; why is the universe the way that it is? As expected, it has undergone many different transformations that have transformed it into a theistic argument (on that seeks to prove the existence of the God of classical theism). It suggests that certain aspects in the universe are…
After reviewing McCloskey's article it is clear to say that he wanted to truly appeal to an atheist audience. McCloskey refers to the arguments as "proofs", which means that he is trying to insinuate that these arguments are not scientifically proven and are not based on facts. A proof is a statement that is unquestionable and lead to an end. He also implies that the arguments cannot definitely establish the case for God, so therefore they should be abandoned because this way he can use that term to make the argument that God exists less plausible. Specifically, the cosmological argument, teleological argument, and arguments of design in general cannot be proven and cannot point to an end, but they do provide possible arguments that God does…
The paper is due on Thursday, July 24, by 9am (i.e., by the start of class on that day). Please…
Give an account of the fundamental ideas of the Design Argument for the existence of God…
The most common and influential argument’s for the existence of God are design arguments. In the last fifty years design arguments have received the most attention philosophically. Design arguments are both empirical and inductive arguments. Design arguments identify properties of objects in nature and argue that the only way that they could have occurred or the best explanation for them is that there is some intelligent/higher being that created or conceived the object. William Paley was a Christian apologist in the eighteenth century who was known for his popular version of the teleological argument (“watchmaker analogy”). Paley stressed the idea that the world’s complexity and design is not based off luck or chance, but rather designed by…
One of the most fascinating arguments for the existence of an all-perfect God is the ontological argument. While there are several different versions of the argument, all purport to show that it is self-contradictory to deny that there exists a greatest possible being. Thus, on this general line of argument, it is a necessary truth that such a being exists; and this being is the God of traditional Western theism. This article explains and evaluates classic and contemporary versions of the ontological argument.…
Have you ever thought to yourself, is there a god? Is there actually an almighty being to protect us? Someone who will be there to forgive us for our immoralities? Well in this report, I will be examining evidence there is that suggests the existence of god to determine whether or not there I a possibility of the existence of God.…
There are 3 main arguments that each seek to prove the existence of God; the Ontological, Cosmological, and Teleological Arguments. Each is different in its approach, but all arrive at the same conclusion. Ontological Argument argues God’s existence from the assumption of the existence a “Greatest Thing that can ever be conceived.” From there, it argues that in order for something to be “The Greatest Thing ever” it must exist physically (that is outside of the mind). The Cosmological Argument argues that since everything in the universe is contingent (or is dependent on other things for its existence), there must be a first cause that set the universe in motion.…
Gaunilo gave us his perfect island as an example, the perfect island must exist, for if it did not then it would be possible to create in the mind and island greater than that island which no greater can be conceived. Gaunilo said that if the ontological argument works, then the perfect island idea must also work, this is because the two arguments have the same logical form. Similar perfect subjects were created, the perfect baseball pitcher and husband for example. Clearly, though, these arguments are not all sound; the perfect baseball pitcher does not exist, and neither does the perfect husband. There is something wrong with the logic of these arguments. Each of these ontological arguments, though, uses the same logic. They must therefore all be unsound. The fact that there is no perfect island, and no perfect baseball pitcher, then, shows that the logic of the ontological argument for God’s existence is flawed. These objections however do not specify where or how the ontological argument goes wrong, they simply argue that if it is a “sound’ argument then many other arguments with the same logical form. This means that if this works we must be able to conclude that if one argument with the same logic as the ontological argument works, then so must other arguments and the ontological…