Explain the Key Features of the design argument
The design argument attempts to explain the existence of god through things we can see in the world around us. It is otherwise known as the “teleological argument”. “Telos” is the Greek word for purpose the teleological argument uses the idea of purpose, order and complexity which we can observe in the universe in order to explain and attempt to prove the existence of god. The design argument is an a prosteriori argument as it uses experience of the world which can be observed in order to reach its conclusions. It is also an inductive argument as the premises support but do not necessitate the conclusion.
One key feature of the design argument is the fact that it uses analogies in order to support and prove its conclusions. In all versions of the design argument the main idea is that because the world shows purpose god must exist, most philosophers who talk about the design argument use analogies in order to explain this idea. William Paley uses the watch and watch maker analogy in order to show this. Paley said that if we found a watch on a heath, we would assume that it has some designer as it clearly complex and built for a purpose, we could then therefore say the same of nature as everything in nature has a purpose for example trees having leaves to take energy for the sun to grow or predatory animals having sharp teeth to kill prey. Thomas Aquinas is another philosopher who used an analogy in order to show how god must exist as there is purpose in the world. Aquinas used the idea of a bow and arrow. He stated that when a bow is directed towards its purpose/target it is directed by an archer who is sending it in the right direction. Therefore, we can say that when we see things in nature which are moving towards are target they must also have some kind of driving force behind the directing them in the right way and that this force must be god. The use of analogies in the design argument makes it easier to follow and understand, however, the analogies have
One key feature of the design argument is the fact that it uses analogies in order to support and prove its conclusions. In all versions of the design argument the main idea is that because the world shows purpose god must exist, most philosophers who talk about the design argument use analogies in order to explain this idea. William Paley uses the watch and watch maker analogy in order to show this. Paley said that if we found a watch on a heath, we would assume that it has some designer as it clearly complex and built for a purpose, we could then therefore say the same of nature as everything in nature has a purpose for example trees having leaves to take energy for the sun to grow or predatory animals having sharp teeth to kill prey. Thomas Aquinas is another philosopher who used an analogy in order to show how god must exist as there is purpose in the world. Aquinas used the idea of a bow and arrow. He stated that when a bow is directed towards its purpose/target it is directed by an archer who is sending it in the right direction. Therefore, we can say that when we see things in nature which are moving towards are target they must also have some kind of driving force behind the directing them in the right way and that this force must be god. The use of analogies in the design argument makes it easier to follow and understand, however, the analogies have