Proofs for the Existence of God
The Teleological Argument
Teleological
from the end or purpose exhibited by the universe
1. The universe resembles human artifacts
2. Human artifacts are the products of intelligent design (purpose)
3. The universe is (probably) the product of intelligent design.
4. The universe is vastly more complex and gigantic than a human artifact.
5. There probably is a powerful and vastly intelligent designer who designed
the universe
Paley's Teleological Argument For The Existence Of God
"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and
diety, has been clearly percieved in the things that have been made. So they are without
excuse."Romans1:19-20
The teleological argument is sometime called the Design argument. Even if you have
never heard of either argument, you are probably familiar with the central idea of
the argument, i.e. there exists so much intricate detail, design , and purpose in the
world that we must suppose a creator. All of the sophistication and incredible detail we
observe in nature could not have occurred by chance.
I)Teleological Argument:
The term teleological comes from the Greek words telos and logos. Telos means the goal
or end or purpose of a thing while logos means the study of the very nature of a thing.
The suffix ology or the study of is also from the noun logos. To understand the logos of a
thing means to understand the very why and how of that thing's nature - it is more than
just a simple studying of a thing. The teleological argument is an attempt to prove the
existence of God that begins with the observation of the purposiveness of nature. The
teleological argument moves to the conclusion that there must exist a designer. The
inference from design to designer is why the teleological argument is also known as the
design argument.
i.)The basic premise, of all teleological arguments for the existence of God, is that the
world exhibits an intelligent purpose based on experience from nature such as its order,
unity, coherency, design and complexity. Hence, there must be an intelligent designer to
account for the observed intelligent purpose and order that we can observe.
ii.)Paley's teleological argument is based on an analogy: Watchmaker is to watch as God
is to universe. Just as a watch, with its inteligent design and complex function must have
been created by an intelligent maker: a watchmaker, the universe, with all its complexity
and greatness, must have been created by an intelligent and powerful creator. Therefore a
watchmaker is to watch as God is to universe.
II)Paley's Teleological Argument:
1.)Human artifacts are products of intelligent design.
2.)The universe resembles human artifacts.
3.)Therefore the universe is a product of intelligent design.
4.)But the universe is complex and gigantic, in comparison to human
artifacts.
6.)Therfore, there probably is a powerful and vastly intelligent
designer who created the universe.
More on the Argument:
http://www.lostinthecosmos.com/paley2.htm
CRITICISMS OF THE ARGUMENT
By David Hume:
1. The universe does not exhibit that much order
2.argument from parts to whole is not valid
3.analogy fails because there are no other universes to compare this one to
4.the argument does not prove the existence of only 1 such god
5.the argument does not prove that the creator is infinite
Other critiques:
6. the argument does not prove that the creator is good
7. the argument does not prove that the creator is all intelligent
8. Naturalistic Theory and Evolutionary Theory Can account for the Order
See this site for counter arguments to creationism:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/evolutio.htm
COUNTER TO THE COUNTER ARGUMENTS:
Richard Swinburne:
the teleological argument does prove that the existence of God is PROBABLE
READ:
http://www.faithquest.com/philosophers/display_work.cfm?workid=B7AB34F8FC9B-4FC7-8F5FFF0E7E0F7C2C
NOTES ON DAVID HUME:
David Hume, 1711 - 1776, argued against the Design Argument through an examination
of the nature of analogy.
Analogy compares two things, and, on the basis of their similarities, allows us to draw
conclusions about the objects. The more closely each thing resembles the other, the more
accurate the conclusion. Have you ever heard the expression you are comparing apples to
oranges? We use the above-mentioned idiom when we want to express the notion that a
comparison is not accurate due to that dissimilarity of things under scrutiny. A good
analogy will not compare apples to oranges.
Is the universe similar to a created artifact? Are they similar enough to allow for a
meaningful analogy. Hume argues that the two are so dissimilar as to disallow analogy.
Further, we know so very little about the universe that we can not compare it to any
created thing that is within our knowledge. If we want to employ a valid analogy
between, say, the building of a house and the building of the universe we must be able to
have an understanding of both terms. Since we can not know about the building of the
universe a Design Analogy for the existence of God is nothing more than a guess.
Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779)
http://www.ets.uidaho.edu/mickelsen/texts/Hume%20-%20Dialogue%20Religion.txt
Links to websites on David Hume
http://www.mayfieldpub.com/lawhead/chapter4/dhume.htm
Notes on Critiques of this Argument:
David Hume’s Critique of the Cosmological Argument
http://brindedcow.umd.edu/236/hume.html
The Intelligent Design Theory
In recent years a number of scientists have attempted to supply a variation on the
teleological argument that is also a counter to the evolutionary theory. It is called
Intelligent Design Theory. This theory disputes that the process of natural selection, the
force Darwin suggested drove evolution, is enough to explain the complexity of and
within living organisms. This theory holds that the complexity requires the work of an
intelligent designer. The designer could be something like the Supreme Being or the
Deity of the Scriptures or it could be that life resulted as a consequence of a meteorite
from elsewhere in the cosmos, possibly involving extraterrestrial intelligence, or as in
new age philosophy that the universe is suffused with a mysterious but inanimate life
force from which life results.
http://www.origins.org/offices/dembski/docs/bd-idesign.html
http://www-acs.ucsd.edu/~idea/idtheorymenu.htm
http://www.public.asu.edu/~jmlynch/idt/
A Critique of Intelligent Design Theory:
http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~bredelin/Topics/Evolution/design.html
Bertrand Russell’s Critque of all the Arguments:
http://brindedcow.umd.edu/236/russell.html
JJC Smart’s critique of all the arguments:
http://brindedcow.umd.edu/236/smart.html