Mill's Criticisms of the Teleological Argument

Question 1

What did Mill say the only order to nature is?

Answer 1

That it is disorderly

Question 2

What is a bad design?

Answer 2

Suffering, nobody would design suffering in the universe therefore there must be no designer

Question 3

What did Mill describe the world as?

Answer 3

A cruel world, full of anarchy, death and destruction

Question 4

What did Mill say about nature?

Answer 4

Nature is evil. Animals kill each other for fun. “Nearly all the things which men are hanged or imprisoned for doing to one another are nature’s everyday performances.” But nature is never punished

Question 5

What did Tennyson write about nature in his poem?

Answer 5

“Nature is red in tooth and claw”.

Question 6

What is the Anarchy of Terror?

Answer 6

The world is ruled by terror

Question 7

Mill said that if there was to be a designer…?

Answer 7

He must have made a huge mistake

Question 8

What can nature never do?

Answer 8

Reflect the image of God

Question 9

If God was really omnipotent, what would he do?

Answer 9

Stop the suffering

Question 10

What are the strengths of Mill’s argument?

Answer 10

There is evidence of disorder in nature e.g. digger wasp lays its eggs in a paralysed caterpillar

Question 11

What are the weaknesses of Mill’s argument?

Answer 11

Paley: the quality of the designer still could have been good, just not good enough. God was still good, just not AMAZING