Essay on Aristotle and Argument

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Khrystyna Dotsenko
Philo 2101
Spring 2015
The Fifth Argument

The Fifth Argument, presented by St. Thomas Aquinas, is a very interesting way of providing the evidence of God. This argument is often called "teleological argument " or "argument from design". Fundamental to his argument was that the world is full of non - intelligent material things which produce beneficial order. The author stated that for these non - intelligent things to produce beneficial order, they require an intelligent being to bring this action about. This being is God. At a first sight all the proofs of Aquinas about all the natural world was created by a vastly intelligent mind seem very convicting. However, his arguments are full of logical loopholes and inconsistencies. In my opinion, Aquinas's Fifth argument is logically false, in other words it is not sound argument. First of all, the author states that everything exists and operates because of the will of a higher intelligence in his fifth response. This happens to things without intelligence because they "act always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result. Hence it is plain that not by chance, but by intention, do they achieve their end". From this premise we can conclude that the order comes from intelligent being. Since the philosopher lived before the scientific methods were discovered and the physical laws were founded, it could be a product of his times. Nowadays, we all know that the rain falls down from the sky, they lack intelligence and need guidance to have a cause on its own and so they are part of the natural process of the universe modern science has proven. Furthermore, according to Darvin, there is another theory about who created human beings, it was a long process of transformation of humans from the monkeys. Second of all, we all know that the universe is very complex creature, but it does not necessarily mean that the universe needed a creator or designer. Comparing the universe to man-made objects such as a watch is committing a logical fallacy (error of reasoning). The universe operate very differently from the way man - made objects operate for example humans created monuments, but then how the sun came into existence? As a result I can say that, if complex monuments were created by humans, who created the sun which is bigger in size and more magnificent in its function? The sun is thus part of the natural process that modern science has given evidence
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