The Design Argument Essay - 1582 Words

The Design Argument The name teleological is derived from the Greek word ‘telos’ meaning ‘end’ or ‘purpose’. Thus nature is viewed as directed in order that something beneficial may result. More popularly it is referred to as the ‘argument from design’, but this wording assumes the very thing that has to be proved. A better description would be the ‘argument for design’. This argument is by far the most popular and most often expressed by people. This is mainly due to the fact that people would like to re-affirm their belief in their God. As, if everyone around them were trying to prove that God didn’t existed, then them believing in a God would probably seem†¦show more content†¦Over the centuries there have been many people attempting to answer this question. One of these was Thomas Aquinas. Thomas was born near Naples, in Italy in the year 1225-1274. He later entered the Dominican Order. So we can see that he was quite a religious figure. Over the years he has greatly influenced teleological thinking, he has written a book called ‘The Five Ways’ which is arguing for the existence of God. Basically his main argument is that non-intelligent material things produce beneficial order. For this to happen there must be an intelligent being maneuvering these actions. And this being is God. As in his book he says, ‘We see that things that lack knowledge such as natural bodies, act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result.’ What Aquinas means by this is that objects like trees, stars and other non-intelligent bodies do the same thing day in day out. But if we look at their functions in great depth we can see that without them doing their own concise job it would be hard for man and animals to exist. Let’s look at the acorn tree for example, if it didn’t drop its acorns in the autumn then animals such as squirrels would die over the winter as they would not have any food to take with themShow MoreRelatedAn Argument for Design1784 Words   |  8 PagesAdam Hubert PHI 150 Dr. Peterson Intelligent Design October 27, 2013 Take a moment to think about the world around you and all of its beauty. From the ever flowing Mississippi River, to the ledges of the mighty Grand Canyon, or even to the peak of Mt. Fuji there is an immense amount of things on this Earth that are so incredible it is hard to believe science and chance created these magnificent things. So what is the best explanation for these occurrences? I believe that these occurrencesRead MoreThe Design Argument : The Theory Argument1608 Words   |  7 PagesThe Design Argument In the past hundred years, a great debate has shaken the foundation religious and scientific beliefs of society. Philosophers have been arguing about such a debate for hundreds of years, but there does not seem to be any consensus on whether on the existence of god and the universe. The ancient world never battled over such questions, rather they had accepted the fact that the natural world was created by some being. However, as society made major advancements, the questionRead MoreThe Theory Of The Design Argument1201 Words   |  5 Pagesmakes of the design argument that are described in this chapter, Hume presents a third. He says that even if the design argument succeeds in showing that a designer made the universe (or the organisms in it), the argument does not succeed in establishing what characteristics that designer has. For this reason, the argument does not show that God exists. Is Hume’s claim correct? How seriously does this undermine the design argument? I think that Hume’s claim that the design argument does not succeedRead MoreThe Design Argument For The Existence Of God1286 Words   |  6 PagesONE The design argument for the existence of God follows the model: 1) In nature, things appear to work together for a clear purpose. 2) The best explanation for these relationships is that God designed these things. 3) Therefore, God exists, as he was the one who designed nature. This argument contends that an intelligent designer of the world does exist, and structured the universe so that most natural things fit together for a clear purpose. We can recognize that things in nature seemRead MoreThe Design Arguments For The Existence Of God1401 Words   |  6 PagesThe design arguments for the existence of God center on the principle that an intelligent designer, in this case God, has crafted our world so that each item has a purpose and significant meaning. Additionally, the world is a complex and sometimes enigmatic system of elements which work together to sustain life in a way that some argue is unlikely to have occurred by pure chance alone. Therefore, some philosophers credit a divine being as the source of this order and purpose in the universe. FurthermoreRead MoreThe Problem Of Evil And The Design Argument1487 Words   |  6 Pages Problem of Evil and The Design Argument In order to explain the â€Å"Problem of Evil†, how it figures in Hume’s discussion of the argument from design and whether there is a personal acceptance of it, each point needs to be examined. Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion utilizes three characters to represent difference perspectives to the existence of God: Cleanthes, Demea, and Philo. Cleanthes is a skeptic that provides the key voice to the argument from design. Philo, said to be the representationRead MoreThe Ontological, Cosmological, And Design Argument1624 Words   |  7 PagesGod they do not need science to show proof that he exists because of their morals and beliefs they have been raised to follow. In this paper I will prove that God does exist by explaining the ontological, cosmological, and design argument. The ontological argument was an argument created by Saint Anselm. Anselm argued that if we thought about what God is and what he can do then we know he must exist. What Anselm means by this is that if our minds can think of something so great like God, we shouldRead MoreThe Design Argument for the Existence of God Essay920 Words   |  4 PagesThe Design Argument for the Existence of God While theology may take Gods existence as absolutely necessary on the basis of authority, faith, or discovery, many philosophers have thought it possible to demonstrate by reason that there must be a God. The teleological argument, also known as the argument from design quite simply states that a designer must exist since the universe and living things display elements of design in their order, consistency, unity and patternRead MoreThe Teleological Argument For The Existence Of Intelligent Design1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe teleological argument successfully provides proof for the existence of intelligent design by utilizing intricate scientific data in order to demonstrate intent and purpose in the creation of the universe, as opposed to random and highly improbable occurrences. The purpose of the teleological argument is to present complex details of the universe as evidence that it was designed by an intelligent mind. It suggests that since the universe is so compound and full of fine-tuned intricacies, thereRead MoreThe Design Argument for the Existence of God Essay698 Words   |  3 PagesThe Design Argument for the Existence of God The basis and structure towards the Design Argument is all about a creator and designer whom set things and planned everything to be the way it is today. Unlike the cosmological argument, the Design Argument is a lot simpler to understand and has simple steps towards it. The main point that the Design Argument claims is the fact that everything in nature seems to be put together in just the right manner suggests that an intelligent