TELEOLOGICAL

Question 1

what type of argument is the teleological argument

Answer 1

argument based on observation, a posteriori

Question 2

why is the teleological argument called the teleological argument

Answer 2

telos = end, the argument is based off the end result of the universe

Question 3

what way is the argument based off

Answer 3

5th way

Question 4

briefly describe the 5th way

Answer 4

natural objects achieve their end through design and not chance

Question 5

what analogy describes 5th way

Answer 5

arrow and archer

Question 6

who inspired paley

Answer 6

newton

Question 7

how did newton view the world

Answer 7

machine-like

Question 8

what era were paley and newton thinkers of

Answer 8

enlightenment

Question 9

what analogy did paley use

Answer 9

watch

Question 10

briefly describe paleys watch analogy

Answer 10

came across watch in wilderness, could not account for it in natural way - array of intricate design, this couldn’t have come together by chance AND SO must be a watchmaker

Question 11

failure of watch analogy

Answer 11

the most we can infer is that there is a watchmaker, we do not and cannot know whether he is still active or even still alive

Question 12

who has criticisms that can be applied to paleys argument

Answer 12

hume

Question 13

what 3 criticisms does hume make

Answer 13

1. aptness of analogy
2. epicurean thesis
3. argument from effect to cause

Question 14

explain aptness of analogy

Answer 14

what we choose to say the world is like shapes the outcome of the argument - by choosing a machine as his argument, Paley has already decided what his conclusion is going to be

Question 15

what parallel does Hume draw instead of a watch

Answer 15

a cabbage - leaves fit together, serve a purpose as food BUT if we found a cabbage we would not draw the conclusion that there is a cabbage-maker

Question 16

explain epicurean thesis

Answer 16

any world has to fit together in order to continue, could such a stable order arise at random? suppose we have infinite time and finite particles, in infinite time, these finite particles would undergo every possible combination EG our universe

Question 17

classic example of epicurean thesis

Answer 17

monkeys on typewriters

Question 18

explain argument from effect to cause

Answer 18

we cannot go from an effect to a cause greater than that needed to produce the cause

Question 19

example for argument from effect to cause

Answer 19

scales - we can see one pan which is in the air so we know the other pan is heavier BUT we cannot know anything else. same from evidence in world to God

Question 20

what alternatives does Hume give to the Christian God in his argument from effect to cause

Answer 20

infant deity or committee of gods

Question 20

what principles does Tennant put forward

Answer 20

anthropic and aesthetic

Question 21

what is the anthropic principle

Answer 21

the world is so exactly right to create the precise environment for man to evolve that it must surely have been planned

Question 22

examples of factors supporting anthropic principle

Answer 22

distance from the sun, fundamental laws of physics

Question 23

what is the aesthetic principle

Answer 23

the natural appreciation that human beings have for things considered beautiful eg music, art and poetry, no other species reacts in this way

Question 24

how does aesthetic principle relate to belief in God

Answer 24

appreciation was a direct result of a benevolent God, God designed a world for his creation to live in and enjoy, it isn't necessary for survival

Question 25

counter argument to tennants aesthetic principle

Answer 25

beauty in nature helping animals to survive eg peacock feathers attracting mates

Question 26

what does swinburne contribute to the argument

Answer 26

a more modern version, the simplicity of the universe - the simplest and most economical explanation is that God designed it

Question 27

what principle does swinburne appeal to

Answer 27

Ockham's razor - when there are competing theories, the one with the least hypotheses is most likely to be true

Question 28

criticisms of teleological argument

Answer 28

mill - cruelty in nature dawkins - laryngeal nerve of a giraffe darwin - evolution

Question 29

briefly explain mills criticism

Answer 29

problem of evil! from a flawed universe, we can infer a flawed creator. particular emphasis on natural evil. evidence in the digger wasp

Question 30

what does anthony kenny add to mills argument

Answer 30

paley's type of argument 'leads to a God which is no more the source of good than the source of evil'

Question 31

what is dawkins criticism

Answer 31

laryngeal nerve of a giraffe, such a flaw in design! appeals to evolution as an explanation for design in the universe since it is obviously not perfect

Question 32

what is a criticism derived from darwin's theory of evolution

Answer 32

'the origin of species' - survival of the fittest and natural selection point to a world of chance