Design arguments

• Hume's design argument from analogy


  P1: The universe consists of parts working together towards an end with incredible accuracy.

  P2: In this way the universe resembles a great machine, as machines also consist of parts working together towards an end with incredible accuracy.

  P3: Similar effects have similar causes.

  P4: Machines are caused by human designers possessing thought, wisdom and intelligence.

  C1: Therefore the universe must be caused by a designer who possesses thought, wisdom and intelligence proportional to the grandeur of the universe.

  C2: Therefore God exists.
• Paley's features of spatial order and purpose which indicate design

  • Several parts which are framed and work together for a purpose.
  • The parts have been made with specific materials, appropriate to their action.
  • Regulated motion which would not be produced if the parts were different.
• Paley's design argument from spatial order/purpose


  P1: A watch has certain complex features of spatial order and purpose.

  P2: Anything that exhibits these features must have been designed by a designer.

  P3: Therefore a watch must have been designed by a designer.

  P4: The universe possesses features of spatial order and purpose, but on a far more wondrous scale.

  C: Therefore the universe must have been designed by a wondrous designer whom we call God.
• Swinburne's design argument from temporal order/regularity


  1. P1: Regularities of succession occur both as natural phenomena and as a result of free human action

  2. P2: Regularities of succession in the human world can be fully explained by the rational choices of a free agent

  3. P3: This is because free agents have the intelligence, power and freedom to bring about regularities of succession

  4. P4: Regularities of succession which are natural cannot be fully explained by reference to other natural laws

  5. P5: By analogy with P1, temporal order in the natural world can be explained by the rational choices of a free agent

  6. P6: The universe and its laws are immense and complex

  7. C: Therefore temporal order in the natural world is best explained by a free agent with immense freedom, power and intelligence whom we call God
• Hume's objections to the design argument from analogy

  • The strength of an analogy is determined by the number of similarities and the relevance of these similarities for the conclusion of the argument.
  • The universe and a machine have very few relevant similarities and the universe resembles something more organic like a vegetable, but this doesn't have a designer.
  • The analogy between the universe and a machine can also lead to conclusions which religious believers would not support such as the universe being created by multiple Gods or being a result of trial and error.
• The problem of spatial disorder (Hume and Paley)

  • There is too much evil and disorder in our world for it to have been designed by a perfect designer.
  • Perhaps the world was created by an infant or senile God who is indifferent to our suffering.
  • Paley acknowledges this issue but does not think it is fatal to the design argument as spatial disorder doesn't matter if there is evidences of arrangement of parts functioning together for a purpose.
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  1. P1: Design arguments make the inference that this universe and its properties were caused by a designer

  2. P2: We can make an inference that 'X caused Y' only if we have repeatedly observed event X conjoined to event Y

  3. P3: We have only observed one universe - this universe - and its properties are a unique case

  4. P4: We have never observed the origins of any universe

  5. C1: Therefore we cannot make any inference about the cause (and origins) of this universe and its properties

  6. C2: Therefore design arguments are based on an invalid inference
• The design argument fails as it is an argument from a unique case
• Whether God is the best or only explanation

  • The appearance of design may be explained by natural processes such as the random movement of atoms over an infinite period of time (the Epicurean hypothesis).
  • Design could also be explained by evolution.