Teleological Argument Essay examples

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1. Anselm is a theist (theism deism) 2. Gaunilo is a theist 3. Conclusion of Anselm's argument: God exists (A being that which none greater can be conceived exists) 4. Conclusion of Gaunilo's argument: Anselm's argument is flawed/unsound. (A perfect island exists) 5. Gaunilo's analogy: Perfect island

Paley: Argument from design for the existence of God. (also known as: teleological argument) -Teleological: Goal-directed *The basic idea behind any design argument: -When you look in the world, you see evidence of design. -The designer is God. -(When you look at natural objects; trees, etc.) *Paley's idea: Look at the _biological_world. -Other design arguments: look at physics **A priori: Prior to experience
**Posteriori: Based on experience

Are design arguments a priori or a posteriori? *Design arguments are "a posteriori" arguments

Are design arguments deductive (valid or invalid; provide obvious truth) or inductive (provide evidence)? *Inductive

6) Paley talks about finding a watch in the heath (field). What does he say we should infer about the watch? - It had a designer (someone made it) - Even if you had never seen a watch before, you'd make this inference - He says, "If you found a stone, you wouldn't infer a designer." - He says, "If you found a telescope, you'd infer it had a designer." - He says, "If you found an eye, you should also infer it has a designer." § What if watches made watch-babies? § Paley says, All the more evidence for a designer.

Objections to Paley:

1) Paley was writing in 1800. Evolutionary theory came in the mid-1800s.

*Possible ways of 'defending' Paley, in the face of evolutionary biology. 1) The whole evolutionary structure: all the more evidence for a designer. 2) God/ designer is involved in evolutionary processes - "Intelligent

Teleological Argument Analysis

the things in it?”. The teleological argument argues that the apparent design and order of things in the universe strongly implies the existence of a creator. Essentially, the universe exhibits intricate order, such as the planets in our solar system moving around the sun, and our own planet being in the perfect place to sustain life. Moreover, it can be argued that these events seem unequivocally too fortunate to happen by accident. Fundamentally, the teleological argument uses a watch as an analogy…

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Teleological Argument Analysis

question the arguments concerning God’s moral soul. The problem of evil is brought up throughout every argument mostly due to the fact that the problem of evil rises so many questions in the belief of an all right and good God.…

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The Teleological Argument Analysis

God. In general, the teleological argument argues for the existence of an intelligent creator, God, based on evidence of design in the natural or physical world. In what…

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with the teleological argument. The debate over the existence of God involves many arguments and counter arguments. These arguments include the cosmological, ontological, and teleological argument for the existence of God. The main argument against the existence of God is the theistic problem of evil. I will consider, but ultimately reject David Hume's argument of the theistic problem of evil and his other objections regarding William Paley’s teleological argument. The teleological argument is also…

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Teleological Argument Essay

The Teleological Argument for the existence of God is positioned firmly on fairly solid ground. However, this solid ground may have a few splinters. The basis of the argument relies on the intricate nature of the universe and the life that inhabits this Earth, claiming that since everything that is around us works in such a complex, organized, and nearly perfect manner, there must be an intelligent designer behind these works of nature. The first three premises state that human artifacts have purpose…

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Teleological Argument Analysis

(from the perspective of an atheist) against the existence of a monotheistic 4-O god. The paper examines several common arguments presented by theists – “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence,” the Teleological Argument, and the Argument from Universal Experience – in support of such a god and attempts to refute them. The Problem of Evil is also discussed as a positive argument employed by atheists. The subject of how the universe came to be has permeated our consciousness for centuries. How…

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Essay on teleological argument

The Teleological/Design Argument for the Existence of God Key introductory points The teleological/design argument suggests that the world in which man lives is so complex and ordered (among other characteristics) that it could not have come about by chance. In order for it to be as we currently see the world, it must have been designed, ultimately by a designer whom some call ‘God’. It is an old argument, even predating Christianity. Kant commented that:…

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The Ontological And Teleological Arguments For The Existence Of God

The Existence of God The Ontological and Teleological arguments have multiple similarities and differences in the sense that they both are proving the existence of God, and how God is all powerful; but the major differences are the idea of the proving the existence solely through thought and the proven existence through the physical world and intricate order of nature. The Teleological argument goes more in-depth with its argument of the existence of God by providing more physical proof for people…

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Essay Explain Paley S Version Of The Teleological Argument

Explain Paley’s argument for the existence of God. 25 marks. The teleological argument is one of the five arguments for the existence of God. It attempts to prove God’s existence by using our experience of the world or universe around us. Thus making it a posteriori in nature. Teleological arguments can essentially be broken down into two main types: pre-Darwinian and post-Darwinian. However, Pre-Darwinian are considered to be more traditional arguments. These arguments can be further broken down…

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The Teleological Theory: Design Argument And The Theory Of Evolution

I will explain the main points from both the advocate of the teleological argument and the Theory of Evolution. The Teleological Theory states that the world that we live in possesses a highly ordered structure, like a machine. Our world’s design is so intricate and complex that it must require a designer, a supreme mind. The supreme mind belongs to God. In the article by Rauhut, “Design Arguments”, the concept of the Teleological Theory is explained by using the example of finding a memory chip…

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