Arguments Based On Observation

Question 1

What do A Posteriori arguments for God’s existence use?

Answer 1

Observation or experience to reach the conclusion God exists.

Question 2

What do A prior arguments for God’s existence use?

Answer 2

Logic to reacg the conclusion that God exists.

Question 3

What are the A Posteriori arguments for God’s existence?

Answer 3

The Teleological and Cosmological arguments.

Question 4

Who is the main thinking behind the Teleological Argument?

Answer 4

Thomas Aquinas.

Question 5

What was Aquinas inspired by?

Answer 5

Aristotle.

Question 6

What does Teleological mean?

Answer 6

To do with somethings purpose or goal or end point.

Question 7

Which one of Aquinas’ five ways is his Teleological argument?

Answer 7

The fifth way.

Question 8

What does Aquinas focus on?

Answer 8

How we achieve out purpose.

Question 9

What observation does Aquinas make that is the base for his argument?

Answer 9

That things that lack knowledge (e.g. natural bodies) act for a purpose/end.

Question 10

Aquinas believes things seem to act for an end because of luck. True or false?

Answer 10

False. He believes this happens by design not luck.

Question 11

Anything that lacks knowledge needs… what? According to Aquinas.

Answer 11

Something with knowledge to guide it.

Question 12

Who does Aquinas believes guides things that lack knowledge?

Answer 12

God.

Question 13

What is an Analogy?

Answer 13

A comparison between two things in order to help us understand the less familiar thing.

Question 14

What analogy does Aquinas give to support his conclusion that things which lack knowledge need a thing that had knowledge to guide them?

Answer 14

The arrow and the archer.

Question 15

What other thinking can be used to support the Teleological argument?

Answer 15

William Paley.

Question 16

What observations does Paley make which founds his argument?

Answer 16

That order in the world seems to be the result of a designer.

Question 17

What two Analogies does Paley give to support his argument?

Answer 17

The eye, and the wings of a bird.

Question 18

Why does Paley use the eye as an analogy?

Answer 18

The eye seemed to have been constructed deliberately with the purpose to see. This is evidence of design.

Question 19

Why does Paley use the wings of a bird as an analogy to support his argument?

Answer 19

There seems to be design behind them as they work so well.

Question 20

For Paley who must this designer be?

Answer 20

God.

Question 21

What other Analogy does Paley give to show evidence of design?

Answer 21

The watch Analogy.

Question 22

What does Hume say the world is more like than a watch?

Answer 22

A vegetable.

Question 23

Who challenges the Teleological argument?

Answer 23

David Hume.

Question 24

Who wrote first? Hume or Paley.

Answer 24

Hume.

Question 25

What does Hume challenge?

Answer 25

Analogies as a way of argument.

Question 26

What is the Epicurean hypothesis?

Answer 26

Given an infinite amount if time, eventually, a stable environment would be created. Thus randomness (chance) explained the universe not a designer.

Question 27

What Analogy does Hume use?

Answer 27

A pair of scales where one side is hidden.

Question 28

Why does Hume reject the idea that God definitely is the designer of the world?

Answer 28

Because whilst Paley and Aquinas prove there might be a designer they do not prove anything about the nature of the designer.

Question 29

What does Hume argue the world could be the first attempt of?

Answer 29

The first attempt of an 'infant deity' who then abandoned the world.

Question 30

Hume uses the example if a ship builder which makes a wonderful ship but turns out to be a... what?

Answer 30

A stupid mechanic.

Question 31

Hume argues there could be a number of designers for this world. True or false?

Answer 31

True.

Question 32

Hume argues that the designer could be immoral. True or false?

Answer 32

True.

Question 33

If _______ is accepted there does not seem to be the need for a designer.

Answer 33

The challenge of evolution.

Question 34

How can religious people explain evolution?

Answer 34

It's a tool that God used to make things as they are.

Question 35

Who is the thinker behind Evolution?

Answer 35

Charles Darwin.

Question 36

What book has defined evolutionary thinking ever since it was written?

Answer 36

On the origin of species. By Charles Darwin.

Question 37

What do atheists suggest when it comes to natural selection?

Answer 37

That there seems to be no place for God in this approach.

Question 38

What are the aspects of evolution?

Answer 38

Inheritance and reproduction.

Question 39

How does Mutation challenge the Teleological argument?

Answer 39

Changes happen because of naturally occurring random mutations. There is no guiding hand if God.

Question 40

How does survival of the fittest challenge the Teleological argument?

Answer 40

Brutal nature us responsible for how we see the world around us not a designer.

Question 41

How does Extinction challenge the Teleological argument?

Answer 41

Why would God allow such waste of species or would design fallible one's?

Question 42

How does development over time challenge the Teleological argument?

Answer 42

Genesis claims that creation was made 'all at once'.

Question 43

What is the Anthropic principle?

Answer 43

Suggests there is too many factors for humankind to have come about by chance.

Question 44

What is the Aesthetic principle?

Answer 44

Suggests that the ability to recognise beauty must suggest a divine creator.

Question 45

How can Ockhams Razor be used to defend the Teleological argument?

Answer 45

A designer God is the easiest solution.

Question 46

What did Teilhard de Chardun believe despite having discovered the Peking man?

Answer 46

That Evolution was being directed by God.

Question 47

Aquinas' first three also ways called?

Answer 47

The cosmological argument.

Question 48

What are the three observations Aquinas makes?

Answer 48

Motion, causation and contingency.

Question 49

What is the first of Aquinas' ways?

Answer 49

The unmoved mover.

Question 50

What is the observation made in the first way?

Answer 50

Things move or change, there mist be something that caused that motion to take place.

Question 51

All things that are moved are moved by.... ?

Answer 51

Something else.

Question 52

Why must there be a first mover?

Answer 52

Because this cannot go on to infinity.

Question 53

What is the second of Aquinas' ways?

Answer 53

The uncaused causer.

Question 54

What observation does Aquinas make in relation to his second way?

Answer 54

Everything we observe us caused by something else. (Similar to Aristotles idea of an 'efficient cause')

Question 55

What can nothing be?

Answer 55

It's own efficient cause.

Question 56

What that are causes must be?

Answer 56

Caused.

Question 57

Why must there be a first efficient cause that is not itself caused?

Answer 57

Cause it cannot go back to infinity.

Question 58

What is the first uncaused causer/unmoved mover?

Answer 58

God.

Question 59

What does Contingent mean?

Answer 59

Something that relies on Something else for its existence?

Question 60

What is the third way called?

Answer 60

Contingency and necessity?

Question 61

What is everything in the universe according to Aquinas?

Answer 61

Contingent.

Question 62

Nothing can come from?

Answer 62

Nothing.

Question 63

What is a necessary being?

Answer 63

Something that does not rely on anything else for its existence.

Question 64

Why must a necessary being exist?

Answer 64

Because things cannot give back infinitely.

Question 65

What is the Islamic Kalam argument?

Answer 65

1. The universe began to exist. 2. Therefore, the universe has a cause of its existence.

Question 66

Who gave the Kalam argument new life?

Answer 66

William Lang Craig.

Question 67

Homes challenges can be used for both the Teleological and cosmological argument? True or false?

Answer 67

True.

Question 68

Why can we not meaningfully spek of the design of the world or the creation of the universe?

Answer 68

Because we do not have sufficient experience of either.

Question 69

Arguments for God's existence can only prove God's existence is?

Answer 69

Probable.

Question 70

Hume asks why can't _____ be necessary?

Answer 70

The universe.