Darwin’s View on the Teleological Argument Versions of the Teleological Argument

Charles Darwin ( ) British scientist, who laid the foundation of modern evolutionary theory with his concept of the development of all forms of life through the slow-working process of natural selection. His work was of major influence on life and earth sciences and on modern thought in general. His book, ‘On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection.’ Which was published in 1985, challenges the argument for design. He provided an alternative explanation for the design of the world, without reference to creation by God.

Natural Selection & Survival of the Fittest Darwin called the principle by which species develop n nn natural selection. The fittest, healthiest members of the species survive, and their characteristics become a part of the character species. He argued that random variations, which gave the best advantage to a plant or an animal in the struggle for survival, resulted in the survival of the fittest member of the species. Random variations in a species become a feature of that species where they promote the survival of that species.

Natural Selection Continued. Organism produce more offspring that can survive. There are variations between these individual offspring. Some of these variations turn out to be favourable as the organisms struggle to survive in its particular environment. These offspring therefore survive better than their siblings who do not have the variation. Theses successful variants are more attractive to potential mates, and variations become an established characteristic of the species. The offspring with that variation therefore are more successful, and produce more offspring themselves. Meanwhile the less successful offspring (those without the variation) die.

Thomas Malthus Darwin drew on the work of Thomas Malthus ( ). He had argued that the world has a built - in regulator which controls the population levels of living creatures. Malthus proposed ‘The Malthusian principle of population control.’ According to Malthus, a species will thrive in ideal conditions for survival. The population will then being to grow. When the environment begins to struggle to support the population, disease and pestilence spread. The population level begins to suffer as famines and epidemics begin to reduce in number.

Conclusion Darwin argued that the apparent design is in fact the result of a natural and random process. The ‘The Origin of the Species’ led many people to claim that a belief in God was no longer necessary to explain the way in which the natural world has developed.

Strengths of Darwin’s theory Evolution evaluates and gives reason as to the cause for extinct species, such as Dinosaurs. It allows and accepts constant change in the environment through many centuries, whereby the strongest species may adapt. It is to this day the most widely spread and traditional argument against the existence of God.

Weaknesses of Darwin With regards to survival of the fittest, if this be the case. Darwin saying that humans born with disabilities or abnormalities are unviable? Should they cease to exist? David Hume A concrete criticism of this theory comes from David Hume, “when we infer any particular cause from effect, we must proportion the one to the other, and can never be allowed to ascribe to the cause any qualities but what are exactly sufficient to produce the effect”. The argument here is that even if we can postulate a designer, we cannot infer our way to the God of Christianity.

… continued Swinburne feels that this argument is flawed because it denies science the ability to explain by “postulating on reasonable grounds that the cause of an effect has certain characteristics other than those sufficient to produce the effect.”