1. The argument from design and belief in God Unit 1 Belief in God

2. 1.3 Lesson aims To investigate the design argument and the causation argument. To explore why these arguments convince some people that God exists.

3. 1.3 Learning outcomes By the end of the lesson you should be able to: explain the design argument and the causation argument. explain your own opinion about the design and the causation argument explain why some people may disagree with you.

4. 1.3 Starter Which of the following is the odd one out? Give your reasons. A flow of lava from a volcano A car A tiger Mount Everest

7. Design Argument Anything that is designed needs a designer There is plenty of evidence that the world has been Designed (laws of science, DNA) If the world has been designed, it must have a designer The only possible designer of the universe is God Therefore, the appearance of design proves that God exists

8. ‘The design argument proves that God exists.’ (i) Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion. (3) (ii) Give reasons why some people may disagree with you. (3) Use the evaluation technique making sure that you answer both parts. If you disagree with the statement, your answer should look like this: i) I disagree because … and give three of the arguments against the design argument. (science – no need for God; why were there dinosaurs which then became extinct?; how do volcanoes and earthquakes etc fit in to the idea of design?; the argument only proves that the universe has a designer – it does not explain the nature of God. ii) Some people may disagree with me because … and give an outline of the argument from design.

9. Causation (Cause and Effect) If we look at things in the world, we see they have a cause, Nothing happens on its own. Anything caused to exist must be caused to exist by something else. There must be a beginning, something which started it all off. As there is a universe, there must be a First Cause of the universe. The only possible First Cause of the universe is God, therefore God must exist.

10. Summary The universe seems to be designed. Anything that is designed must have a designer. Therefore God must exist because only God could have designed the universe. The way everything seems to have a cause makes people think the universe must have a cause, and the only possible cause of the universe is God, so God must exist.