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The Design Argument

The Design Argument. A Questions AO1 – Knowledge and Understanding – one side. Explain in lots of detail 20 mins Approx 2 sides Link back to the question Make links between your paragraphs – don’t produce a list. a) Explain the main features of the Design Argument [30]

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The Design Argument

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  1. The Design Argument

  2. A Questions • AO1 – Knowledge and Understanding – one side. • Explain in lots of detail • 20 mins • Approx 2 sides • Link back to the question • Make links between your paragraphs – don’t produce a list.

  3. a) Explain the main features of the Design Argument [30] • Intro – inductive, a priori • Aquinas – 5th way, Summa Theologica, God not self-evident, design qua regularity, heart, 2 things in nature, chance or God, Archer analogy. • Paley – Natural Theology, similar effect, similar causes, watch analogy, design qua regularity (planets), design qua purpose (eye), scale and proportion. • Swinburne – Argument from Spatial Order, Argument from Temporal Order, Anthropic Principle • Tennant – Aesthetic Principle

  4. Explain how science challenges the Design Argument. [30] • Darwin – On the Origin of the Species (1859) Explain the key ideas, but don’t waffle! (NS, adaptation) • Dawkins – The Blind Watchmaker • “All attempts to understand humanity before 1859 are useless.” Continuing to support the Design Argument is ‘intellectual suicide.’ • “Paley ... [is] wrong, gloriously and utterly wrong” The appearance of design is an illusion. • “[Evolution is] a blind, unconscious, automatic process.” – Questioning the apparent purpose of the universe • “Design is not the only alternative to chance, Natural Selection is a better alternative.”

  5. Explain how the Design Argument has been criticised by Philosophy [30] • David Hume – Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion • Criticisms based on the use of analogy • Moving too far from the evidence • Can’t check to see if there is a worldmaker • If God made us, who made God? • Anthropomorphism • Hume and John Stuart Mill – Evil and Suffering leads to belief in an imperfect God. • THIS IS NOT A B) QUESTION – THERE IS NO NEED TO ARGUE AGAINST HUME IN A)!!

  6. B Questions A good B question will: • Have a clear argument running through it, but will not use ‘I’. • Examine both sides. • Contain analysis (next slide will help) • Be focussed on the question. • Come to a conclusion which is based on evidence discussed in the essay.

  7. Critical Analysis • This is a very damaging criticism because ___. • However, one could argue that _____. • The Design Argument can not stand up against this criticism because _____ • Although Polkinghorne defends the Design Argument by stating _____, he fails to protect the argument fully because _______. • Dawkin’s argument’s is weak here because ____. • Despite this criticism, the Design Argument is still a sound one because ________.

  8. b) “The Design Argument makes it reasonable to believe in God.” How far do you agree with this statement? [15] • FOR • Kant – appeals to our common sense. A posteriori so we can all relate to it. • Swinburne – adapts the argument, makes it fit with modern ideas (evolution) • Tennant – Aesthetic principle – beauty not explained by evolution • Cumulative Argument • AGAINST • Kant and Hume– moves too far away from the evidence. Hume’s criticisms. • God of the gaps? + is there order in the universe? What kind of God are we left with? • If God is responsible for beauty, is He not also responsible for suffering and evil (Hume / J S Mill. • Leaky Bucket Argument

  9. b) Assess the view that science makes the Design Argument a failure. [15] • AGAINST • Swinburne – Argument from Temporal Order • Anthropic Principle – Tennant, de Chardin • God gives purpose through evolotion (Kingsley) • Swinburne – Parable of the Kidnapped Man • FOR • Dawkins - Natural Selection – ‘a better alternative’. • Paley has been shown to be ‘wrong, gloriously and utterly wrong.’ • Order of the universe is an illusion • There is no purpose in the universe. • God is not needed to explain the universe.

  10. To what extent do the criticisms of David Hume threaten to destroy the Design Argument? [15] • FOR • Moves too far away from the evidence • God of Christianity? Anthropomorphism • Suffering and Evil • If God made us who made God? • AGAINST • The Argument is inductive, we need to use faith to reach the conclusion that God exists • Humans are made in ‘God’s image so there are links. Scale and Proportion • God has a reason for suffering. Humans cause evil due to free will • God is outside of space and time, therefore, needs no cause.

  11. Assess how successful Richard Swinburne has been in defending the Design Argument from the criticisms of Science and Philosophy. [15] • AGAINST • God of the Gaps • There are still Philosophical problems like evil. • Unusual events do happen. Evolution can be down to chance • Examples of complete disorder in the universe – Black Holes. • FOR • Recognises the argument needs to adapt to incorporate science • Argument from Temporal Order does not use analogy • Parable of the Kidnapped Man – the fact that Evolution happened needs explanation • Anthropic Principle – God ‘fine-tuned’ universe to enable evolution to happen

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