The Teleological Argument for the existence of God Learning Objective Analyse the reasoning behind the argument Learning outcomes To know what an analogy is. Explain how the argument is teleological Explain qua purpose and qua regularity

Specification content What do I need to learn? What are the key terms? Which terms do you know already? Inductive arguments – teleological: St Thomas Aquinas’ Fifth Way - concept of governance; archer and arrow analogy. William Paley’s watchmaker - analogy of complex design. F. R. Tennant’s anthropic and aesthetic arguments - the universe specifically designed for intelligent human life.

What can they do? Complete the table on page 10 Is there any evidence that they are designed?

Introduction to the teleological argument The universe appears to contains a great deal of order, regularity and purpose. Could the universe be a carefully worked out plan of a designing mind called God? Or is it more likely to be the result of random chance?

1. Put this information into an introductory paragraph about the TA The reasoning used in the argument: a posteriori – it is based on our experience of the world around us. Inductive – the premises support but do not prove the conclusion – probabilistic. Synthetic – the argument is not true or false by the definition of its premises – it has to be tested.

Add to your paragraph . . . They are all referred to as teleological arguments- because teleos means end and/or purpose. Teleological means-looking at the “tail end” or end result in order to draw conclusions. Hence- the theories are based on the principle that there is some end and purpose for the creation of the world Other key terms? Order, beauty, human life, benefit Add to your paragraph - explain why some scholars believe the universe could not be created by chance.

Evidence from the world Very briefly, look at the following images. Then write down: What is your response to the images? Can you infer any conclusions from the images? If so, what are they? Is it in human nature to interpret these images in the same or similar way? Why do you think many people in the past believed there was a God/gods/creator

Questions: What is your response to the images? Can you infer any conclusions from the images? If so, what are they? Is it in human nature to interpret these images in the same or similar way? Do you think people interpret in the same way today as they would have done in the past? Why do you think many people in the past believed there was a God/gods/creator

More evidence from the universe List down 3, 5 or 7 things about the world that could not be different without tremendous implications for human life. Ideas on next slide

If the sun were just slightly further away or half as powerful If the axis of the earth were slightly different If the moon were larger or closer or further away If gravity were not such a weak force If DNA did not replicate If molecules were larger or smaller If carbon did not exist (we’re carbon based) If the speed of light were half what it is If the rotation of the earth were one-tenth of what it is.

Explanation? The nature of the world could be explained as the result of one huge coincidence, but the teleological argument tries to show that the delicate balance of the universe is such that the probability of it coming about by chance is far too remote. Therefore, there must be a designer