1. Aim: To understand the criticisms against the design argument.
What does your quote mean?
How does it link to the design argument?

2. Challenges: David Hume
David Hume, an atheist, objected to the design argument based on an analogy between the world and a watch.
David Hume( )
He had a real issue with Inductive reasoning (The Problem of Induction). He believed that we couldn’t be sure in the knowledge gained through inductive reasoning because it was mainly the result of a generalisation. He was an empiricist – what does this mean?
This is why he criticised the analogy of God as a ‘watchmaker’.
5 minute discussion task and then feedback.

3. Start off a mind-map of Hume’s Criticisms and create branches for the following headings:
One God or many?
Is God Mortal?
Is God omnipotent?
Is God omniscient?
Is God Omnibenevolent?
Is it a weak analogy?
5 MINUTE TASK:
In pairs, try to predict the problems with the analogy that Hume came up with based on these headings.
e.g. in the original text, Paley himself gives several scenarios, such as the watch being broken.

4. One God or Many?
If you accept the analogy of a watch-maker and God as a ‘world maker’ why accept belief in only one God - monotheism?
As with the analogy, many people can be involved in the making of watches so presumably there is a case for belief in more than one God - polytheism?

5. • Watch-makers are mortal, they are born and die.
• So is God no longer eternal? Was God born? Will God die?
• Watch-makers make mistakes.
• So is God no longer all powerful (omnipotent)?
• Watch-makers take a long time to learn their craft and skill.
• So is God no longer all knowing (omniscient)?
• Watch-makers might cheat their customers.
• So is God no longer all good (omnibenevolent)?
Photograph © AFP

6. Analogy between the world / watch?
• Hume thought the analogy between the world and a watch was weak.
• He thought the universe resembled an animal or a vegetable more than something mechanical like a watch
Modern philosophers refer to this as a ‘category mistake’ – a mistake in categorising things in existence.
Category Mistake – phrase coined by Gilbert Ryle ( ) who was greatly influenced by the language philosopher and logical positivist, Ludvig Wittgenstein.
David Hume
Atheist (
David Hume
( )

7. Analogy between the world / watch?
• Question 1: Explain why you think David Hume thought the world was more like an animal or a vegetable than a watch-like mechanism?
• Question 2: Do you agree or disagree with David Hume that it is a weak analogy? Give reasons for your answer.
Extension: Do you accept Paley’s claims that the analogy still works if we don’t know what the object is, or if the watch is broken?
Photograph © AFP

8. Hume is an empiricist: he only believes what his senses tell him, hence he is sceptical about all supernatural statements.
Read the handout on Criticisms from David Hume and complete the tasks
Extension: read the higher level handout and add to your notes.

9. David Hume
David Hume who puts forward 5 points against it in his book “Dialogues concerning nature” which was first published in 1779.
-Read the criticisms and summarise his five points into your own words.
Which are challenges FROM design and which are challenges FOR design?

10. Would Hume agree with the following statements?
Why? Why not?

11. “Comparing the world to a machine is valid.”?

12. “The design argument only proves a designer not God.”?

13. “The God of Classical Theism could not have created this world because of all the evil.”?

14. “It is possible for humans to understand God.”?

15. “The universe is like a machine”?

16. “Humans are limited in their knowledge of the world”?

17. “The designer can only be God”?

18. “There is a God who is both creator and all loving.”?

19. “God is beyond human understanding”?

20. “The world is more like a plant than a machine.”?

21. Do you believe the design argument proves God’s existence? Why? Why not?