The Design Argument

• Aquinas uses the Arrow and Archer Analogy. Arrows do not decide alone where they want to go, similarly to God, God guides where the natural bodies are to go
• The design argument is an A posteriori argument, which uses empiricism
• Aquinas argues that the intricate complexity of the universes can only by explained by through existence of a Great Designer
• This is an inductive argument
• Paley made three observations about the world; in order for something to have been made by a designer, it must have complexity & regularity which gives it purpose
• Paley's watch analogy - if we found a watch on the ground, we would assume someone had designed it because of its complexity and regularity
• Paley's Analogical Design Argument

  A watch has complex parts each with a function, which work together for a new purpose

  Therefore, the watch must have been made by a watch maker

  Similarly, the universe has complex parts with specific functions, which work together for a purpose

  So the universe must have a universe maker

  However, the design of the universe is much more wonderful than that of a watch, therefore the creator must be greater than any human designer

  We know this to be God
• FR Tenant said there are '30+ boundary conditions' which are fined tuned in order for human life to be developed. The possibility of this happening due to chance at the correct settings is extremely colossal. It must have taken an intelligent creator in order to create these boundary conditions. I.e: Distance from the sun
• The Anthropic Principle states that the universe was created so that humans could exist within it.
• David Hume argues the Design argument does not prove the existence of the Christian God
• David Hume argues that the universe could have been created by a lesser, or multiple gods. The argument does not prove that the universe was made by the Christian God. The evil and imperfections in the world suggest a limited designer (such as a trainee designer).
• David Hume argues that the theology is flawed, the world is more like a vegetable than a machine. Paley argues that the world "resembles more an animal or a vegetable, than it does a watch." Vegetables grow themselves, without the need for a designer. In addition to this, there are similarities with evolution, which is not directed by any external agents, such as God.
• John Stuart Mill challenges the omnibenevolent God, as the world is filled with evil and suffering, so therefore the creator of this world cannot be the Christian God, who is described as omnibenevolent.
• What is Natural Theology?

  The study of God and religious belief through reason and observation of the natural world.
• Paley based his argument on three observations; complexity, regularity and purpose. Paley argued that the complexity and regularity of the universe give evidence for that the universe was designed with purpose by a designer.
• Paley's watchmaker analogy highlighted that due to a watch having complexity and regularity, so therefore, the watch must have a watchmaker who designed it with purpose. Similarly, the universe has complex and interactive parts that regularly work together for a function, therefore, the universe must have a universe maker who designed the universe with a purpose. However, the creation of the universe is much more wonderful and intelligent than the design of a watch. Paley highlights the designer of the universe as God.
• FR Tennant's Anthropomorphic Principle supports Paley's argument as it agrees that the universe could not have been designed by chance, or a simple being. FR Tennant says that there are 30+ boundary conditions which are too 'fine-tuned' in order to have come about by chance. This shows evidence of an intelligent designer, far more supreme than the intelligence of humans.
• David Hume disagrees with Paley's Anological Argument. Hume argues that 'why not many gods?' There is no evidence supporting that the world was made by the Christian God. David Hume uses the Shipmaker analogy.
• David Hume also says Paley's analogy is flawed - the world is more like an animal/vegetable than a watch. Vegetables grow themselves without the need for there to be a designer. Evidence of this is through evolution, where creation is not directed by any external agents, such as God.
• John Stuart Mill argued that the world contains too much evil and suffering in order to have an omnibenevolent designer/creator. This contradicts the Christian belief that there is an omnibenevolent God, as there is too much evil and suffering in the universe that is irreconcilable with the idea of an all loving-designer.
• Richard Dawkins: Evolution & Natural Selection explains the illusion of Design. There is no intelligent creator. Dawkins argues that humanity needs to 'outgrow belief in God', due to science being able to understand/explain the appearance of design. The world was not designed for us; we ADAPTED to it.
• No matter how fine-tuned the universe is, it does not rule out chance. Regularity could have been years of randomness.
• This relates to the idea that if there were an infinite amount of monkeys with an infinite amount of type-writers, after a certain number of years, one of them would write a whole play of Shakespeare.
• Bertrand Russel says that the existence of the universe is a brute fact - the fact that is can no longer be explained or explains itself. However, Leibnz contradicts this, and says everything must have a sufficient reason for existing.