Responses to the Design argument

David Hume Richard Swinburne – the argument from probability F.R. Tennant – the aesthetic argument The anthropic principle - F.R. Tennant Improbable order https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL4JbKwpNTw – objections to the watch analogy

Recap on the design argument Hello! I’m Thomas Aquinas I’m William Paley! What problems could there be with the design argument?

Arguments against the design argument https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL4JbKwpNTw – objections to the watch analogy Design-like properties are evident in nature – really? The premise that design is evident in nature cannot be deductively justified Saying that a designer exists does not mean that God exists Saying that a designer exists may lead you to question how the designer came into existence – a previous designer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFMlLNPM8EU David Hume Challenges to the analogy similar effects do not imply similar causes Just because parts of the universe show design, does not mean that the rest of the universe will too There may be better analogies – intelligence may not be the cause of the universe We have no experience of design of a universe – or anything similar The watch analogy is an anthropomorphic argument – we have made God like a human – God cannot be perfect as the universe is not perfect……there is evil in the world – does this mean that God is evil? God could be caused – as designers are usually caused – therefore not revealing the original creator at all There could be other explanations for the apparent order – necessity of order in order to exist

Darwin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjBPUt0-Ylw Rejection of belief in God was due to the death of his daughter rather than his evolutionary theory Natural selection Random variation No need to resort to a designer or orderliness – chance can produce an orderly and complex result

Richard Dawkins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDdn0UPDjmk Watch argument is a superficial argument - bad argument by analogy and bad by logic Many people think the only alternative to chance is design – however what about Darwin, natural selection and evolution? If suggesting design – where does the designer come from?

Richard Swinburne https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y52I3aNbMYg Cumulative evidence Orderliness of the universe – governed by scientific laws Makes sense that a God should have created it in this way

F.R. Tennant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rot6v1mcPw The Anthropic principle – the cosmos is developed for human life The fact that the perfect conditions for human life exist is proof of the existence of a designer God It seems rational that the world was created by God as it is so incomprehensible Its too unlikely just to be chance Human beings cannot have formed in a random way – they are too complex Evolution and the Big Bang were designed by God God reveals himself through the beauty of the world – the Aesthetic principle proves the existence of God - as this is not necessary for survival of the fittest.

Plenary Produce a summary page on the arguments for and against the design argument for the existence of God. This will help you when you get to the assessment point

Assessment point Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Design argument for the existence of God? (30) Look at the assessment criteria Look at the questions you should ask yourself before writing Look at the sentence stems to help you