Teleological argument

• What is the teleological argument?

  Argument for the existence of God based on design or purpose in the universe
• What is an a posteriori argument?

  Based on experience or evidence
• Is the teleological argument a priori or a posteriori?

  A posteriori
• What does inductive mean?

  The premises support but do not entail the conclusion
• What does synthetic mean?


  Argument is not true or false by definition, it must be tested
• What is design qua regularity?

  There is evidence of order in the universe, someone created that order, so they must be God
• What is design qua purpose?

  Parts of the universe fit together for a purpose, they must have been fitted by a designer
• What is natural theology?

  The study of God and religious truths through reason and observation of the natural world
• What is revealed theology?

  Revealed knowledge from God to humans
• Which of Aquinas’ 5 ways is the teleological argument?

  The fifth way
• What is the arrow analogy?

  Aquinas argues that natural bodies act in a regular fashion to accomplish their end, and this proves that there is a God that designed them to do this.

  The reason an arrow reaches its target is because an archer directs it there
• Who influenced Aquinas’ teleological argument?

  Aristotle
• What is Aristotles final cause?

  The Prime Mover
• Who came up with the watchmaker analogy?

  William Paley
• What is Paleys design argument?

  If someone were to stumble upon a watch on the ground they wouldn’t assume it had just appeared there, they‘d assume a watchmaker had made it.

  So he saw how well the world works together and how intricate the parts are to make it work, and says this is evidence of an intelligent, caring creator
• Who uses the Ockham’s razor argument?

  Swinburne
• What is the Ockham’s razor argument?

  The simplest explanation is usually the most likely one
• How does Swinburne use Ockham’s razor to support the teleological argument?


  It is the more likely situation that God made the world than a series of highly unlikely accidents occurred to make the world the way it is today
• What are some issues with Ockhams razor?

  Over-simplicity
• Who proposed the Anthropic principle?

  F. R. Tennant
• What is the Anthropic principle?


  The universe is structured in a way that meant it was inevitable for life to develop. If laws of nature didn’t exist, neither would we
• What is another name for the Anthropic principle?


  The Goldilocks principle
• What is the Epicurean thesis?


  Just because there is order doesn’t mean that someone designed the world
• What is Hume’s aptness of analogy?

  Analogy between machines and the universe is weak
• What is Humes argument from effect to cause?

  It is impossible to possess information about cause and effect, humans only possess knowledge regarding opinion