What a Wonderful World

Question Tennis In pairs you will take it in turns to ask as many questions as you can about this image. You have 30 seconds...

The Design Argument Learning Objective: To enquire into the Design Argument for the Existence of God.

By the end of the lesson... I can explain William Paley’s Design Argument. I can explain Aquinas’ Design Argument. I understand how this argument can be used to argue for the existence of God.

Get Thinking! How can these things be used to argue for the existence of God? Green erefs for the best guesses!

The Design Argument William Paley said asks us to image we are walking along a heath when we come across a watch. Looking at the watch, we can see that it must have been made by someone for a reason. Even if we did not know what the watch is for, we can see that is shows all the marks of design.

The Design Argument Just as the existence of the watch implies a watchmaker, the existence of the world implies an even greater designer...

The Design Argument In the same way as you would look at the watch, if you look at the world, you can see how enormously complicated it is... Take the human body as an example. Even something as small as the human eye is extremely complex. Can this really be the result of chance?

The Design Argument William Paley’s argument is based on an analogy between a watch and the world. Just as the watch suggests the existence of a watchmaker, so the existence of the world implies an even greater designer... Analogy a comparison of one thing with another thing that has similar features

The Design Argument And the designer is... God

60 Second Summary In your pairs, you each have 60 seconds to summarise William Paley’s Design Argument in your own words...

Progress Check... I can explain William Paley’s Design Argument. I can explain Aquinas’ Design Argument. I understand how this argument can be used to argue for the existence of God.

The Design Argument William Paley “ The marks of design are too strong. Design must have had a designer. That designer must have been a person. That person must be God”.

Aquinas’ Design Argument How does the arrow hit the target? 1)Firstly someone needs to shoot it towards the target. 2)Secondly, the arrow needs to be the right shape, weight and have the right balance. What does this have to do with the design argument? In the same way, creation needs to have an intelligent designer for there to be order and purpose in the universe. This designer is God.

Progress Check... I can explain William Paley’s Design Argument. I can explain Aquinas’ Design Argument. I understand how this argument can be used to argue for the existence of God.

The Design Argument as proof for the Existence of God On your whiteboards you need to explain how the Design Argument can be used to prove the existence of God. Your paragraph should include the following... The Design Argument can be used as proof for the existence of God because...

Which explanation is best? Move around the room and read people’s explanations. Are they clear and easy to understand? When the music stops, go and stand by the explanation you liked the most.

What have you learnt? I can explain William Paley’s Design Argument. I can explain Aquinas’ Design Argument. I understand how this argument can be used to argue for the existence of God.

Extension: Get Creative... Design a logo and slogan for the Design Argument.