Teleological Argument Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Teleological Argument Deck (17)
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1
Q

What does ‘telos’ mean?

A

End or result.

2
Q

Is the TA a priori or a posteriori?

A

A posteriori

3
Q

The TA is the argument from…

A

design.

4
Q

What are the 2 types of the teleological argument?

A

Design qua purpose + design qua regularity

5
Q

Which one of Aquinas’ 5 Ways is the TA?

A

The 5th way

6
Q

Everything in the natural world that does not think for itself… (TA)

A

aims towards a goal and is directed by God.

7
Q

What sort of laws, set up by God, direct us? (TA)

A

Natural laws

8
Q

Who is associated with design qua regularity?

A

Aquinas

9
Q

What did design qua regularity say?

A

Regularity of succession - we follow certain laws that lead us to results
Cause + effect
God caused unchanging scientific laws
Linked with Aristotle’s final cause

10
Q

According to design qua regularity, why do we have a design and purpose and why do we follow natural laws?

A

Because God caused us to.

11
Q

What are some weaknesses of Aquinas’ design qua regularity?

A

Swinburne - Too many assumptions
No examples of things having to have purpose.
Flew - saying things have a director goes against the available evidence.

12
Q

Who is the main person associated with design qua purpose? What are his dates?

A

William Paley (1743-1805)

13
Q

What did Paley say about the world?

A

The world is full of examples of design.

14
Q

What example did Paley use? What does it mean?

A

The Watch.
It has a purpose.
It works to fulfil its purpose.
It has an ordered construction.
If it was made differently it wouldn’t work.
Thus a watch must have a designer, “who comprehended its construction and designed its use”.
If the watch had a special feature, it would imply it had a designer with “the presence of intelligence and mind”.

15
Q

What does the analogy of the watch mean?

A

The complexity of nature means there must be a grand designer.

16
Q

What kind of world did Paley describe?

A

A mechanistic world.

17
Q

What criticisms are there of Paley’s design qua purpose?

A

Can we compare nature with a machine?
Only as strong as the subject of the analogy - can’t make leaps
Hume - Analogies are limited. Did God design evil? Can we compare God to anything?