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William Paley's Teleological Argument

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The philosopher William Paley discussed the existence of God in the so called the teleological argument. The teleological argument is also known as Intelligent Design, or the argument from design. In order to explain the existence of God, William Paley gave us what is known as an argument by analogy. This form of inductive argument invites us to consider a particular state of affairs. For instance, let us set two situations; situation A for which we are already likely to have certain beliefs, and then likens it to situation B, with which we are less familiar. The general idea is that in the interest of consistency, whatever conclusions we have drawn about A, we ought to draw about B as well. Paley used it to argument the existence of God, in what is known as the Watchmaker Analogy. The main aspect of Paley’s analogy is purpose. He illustrates that if we saw a stone laid on the ground we may assume that it had been there forever, and not have been crafted for a specific purpose. However, now imagine if we found a watch on the ground. Would we imagine that the watch simply appeared spontaneously on its own? Or would we see the complexity of it, and notice …show more content…

If we compare the watch to the complexity of the human body. Heart and lungs working perfectly together, producing sweat to keep ourselves from overheating, transforming food into energy. Or looking at how elements of the natural world operate according to complex laws that sustain a beautiful natural harmony. Paley was expressing that all of this could not be possible just have happened. It is the idea that our world and the universe surrounding it are so intricate that it could not happen by accident, it was designed. There must be designer. If you comprehend and accept this analogy, then you agree with Paley that, just like the purposefulness of a watch compels us to believe in a watchmaker, the purposefulness of the world compels us to believe in a world maker –

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Weaknesses of the Argument Paley gives the example of the watch being complex, so it must have a creator. Things can be complex, without having a designer, for example a snowflake. If we were created by an intelligent designer, then why are we not perfect? If God created us, then why do babies die young? Why do natural disasters kill millions and millions of people?

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Paley presents contradictory views, stating that a design must have had a designer however that designer to us is unknown and that we have never seen a watch being made, we have just seen the ultimate product having not witnessed the process of how that design came to be, he argues that, there must have existed a “principle of order,” a timeline of things that made the parts of the watch into their present form. However, he does not present the readers with a rational explanation behind the process just acknowledges that there was a process. How can we confirm if the design is due to an omnipotent presence or if it’s just a process of natural selection? Darwin refuted to the idea that such complex species just came to be as a product of a higher being, rather he believed that complexity of species is a long-term product of a cumulative natural selection process, and not a product of God. In Paley’s Natural Theology he states, “and that

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The arguments employed are theological

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Exhibiting design implies a designer. SC. The world has a designer. C. God exists.” I believe the teleological argument fails in establishing the existence of God.

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He further elaborates on this watch saying that even if you had never seen a watch made or known someone to make it you would still recognize that the watch had a creator. Also the watch at times may go wrong, even if this happens it still does not prove that the watch does not have a creator. Further that the watch has parts whose functions are unknown this still does not determine that the watch does not have a creator. Ultimately what this argument comes down to is that the watch is an analogy for the universe and or human beings. All of these things he attributed to the watch is in like fashion attributed to the universe.

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Paley had a strong belief that the reason for all creations was due to science and intelligent

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