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Summary Of The Argument From Design By William Paley
The Argument from Design In William Paley's "Argument from Design" he seeks to prove God's existence by comparing the world and universe we
live in to a machine, specifically a watch. The goal of the design argument is to prove the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, and wholly good
God through the watch analogy. The analogy tries to say that if we look at the creation of theuniverse like that of a watch, we can infer that it has a
purpose and a designer. While this seems to be valid, there are some flaws in Paley's argument that I will point out. Although Paley succeeds in
presenting a well thought out argument that shows order in the world, he ultimately fails to prove the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, and
wholly good God. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He explicitly states, "It is not necessary that a machine be perfect in order to show with what design it was made; still less necessary, where the
only question is whether it was made with any design at all" (Paley 60). What Paley fails to talk about is the presence of natural evil in the world
and how a defective design would to indicate that the designer is neither omnipotent nor all good. This brings up the problem of evil, which becomes
a significant factor while looking at the characteristics of God. If God is omnipotent and all good then it can be said the world should be free from
imperfections, but it is not, raising the question of whether or not God is in fact all–powerful and all good. Additionally, we cannot compare the world
we live in to anything because of its complicated design. Because of this, when Paley tries to draw comparisons between the design of the watch to that
of the stone, he falls short. In his second attempt to strengthen his argument, Paley again opens up two bigger holes that demonstrate the weakness in his
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Paley's Argument For The Existence Of God
As a teleological argument, Paley's argument for the existence of God can be distilled as: (1) everything has a purpose, (2) creators define a thing's
purpose, so (3) therefore everything has a creator. After making his argument, Paley refutes eight common objections to his argument including the
objections that not witnessing an object's creation means it was not created and that imperfection of creation means that there was not a creator. On the
other hand, Hume's critique is a dialogue between a theist and a skeptic in which the skeptic, Philo, presents arguments against the existence of a
creator. Among Philo's arguments are: because experiences are different, definite conclusions about a creator's existence cannot be made, since nature
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Teleological Argument
The Teleological Argument, God's Attributes, and Miracles: A Compounded Contradiction
Introduction
Some Abrahamic theists claim that the harmony of the universe is proof of an intelligent designer. This argument is known as the teleological
argument and has evolved from classical philosophy to modern theology. In addition, subscribers of the Abrahamic religions also hold thatGod has
attributes that include omniscience, omnipotence, and benevolence. Fundamentally, God is all knowing, all–powerful, and all good. In contrast, God
created a perfect universe that is in harmony, but occasionally practices miracles. Can the teleological argument, miracles, and God's attributes coexist
in a rational universe? This essay's goal is to demonstrate that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One would assume that this final solution would not be attractive to theists, because of the negation of God's predicates of omnipotence, omniscience,
and benevolence. In contrast, some Abrahamic theists may be satisfied with the reasoning that there cannot be miracles. However, this contradicts
fundamental aspects of their faith. For example, the story of the Virgin Mary is a miracle that is fundamental to Christian and Muslim faith. According
to the story, Mary was selected to be the giver of birth to God's son, the angel Gabriel delivered the news to her. She was impregnated by the Holy
Spirit and then gave birth to Jesus Christ as a virgin. If a theist is willing to disregard the Virgin Mary being a virgin, then this may disrupt fundamental
aspects of Christian and Muslim faith. Moreover, this would mean either that Jesus was not the son of God and thus he would not have divine attributes
such as the ability to work miracles, or that Jesus never existed at all. Consequently, Jesus would have never died for humanity's sins and thus all
humans would be damned to hell. Therefore, Abrahamic theists cannot accept argument (a) without disrupting fundamental aspects of their faith, and
argument (b) demonstrates that God cannot have certain attributes and create
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The Existence Of God Essay
The existence of God has long been a topic of debate. It is the ultimate topic of discussion, as everyone seems to have an opinion on it. I will look at
the traditional arguments for the existence of God, the ones that have stood the test of time, and find out how convincing the arguments really are by
looking at each one in turn, analysing the logic behind each argument, and finally looking at its criticisms and the responses to the criticisms.
The first argument for the existence of God I will look at is the cosmological argument, more commonly known as the "First Cause" argument. It is
attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher. The basic premise is that for theUniverse to exist, something must have caused it to ...
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According to Russell, there is no reason why it needs a cause to come into existence. Similarly, there is no reason why it couldn't have existed
eternally: Aquinas uses the fallacy of moral dilemma to offer us no other selection of choices. This is not a formal fallacy, as you can see below, but
an informal fallacy originating in premise #3. There is also question over the other 2 premises:
1.There is a first cause of the Universe
2.The first cause must be eternal
3.God is the only eternal being
_________________________________
4.The first cause is God
It has also not been proven that something that comes into being needs a cause, as nothing that we know of has ever come into existence, merely
changed from one state into another, therefore the Universe does not need a first cause. Following the First Cause argument, Russell also asked the
question: if God made the Universe, who made God?
Anybody responding to these criticisms will say that God does not need a creator because he caused everything else and is eternal. Aquinas described
God as "the necessary being" and "the immovable mover". According to him, God is the only thing that has no beginning or end. His argument is
entirely dependent on his own belief in his premises.
Another popular argument for the existence of God is the teleological argument, more commonly known as the Design
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What I Learned About Magic
I used to not believed in mythical creatures, magic, or spirits, I never liked the movies or books with fairies, curses, or evil. I always thought that it
was nonsense that only 5 year olds believed in. For me, magic was a silly form of entertainment that made you gape with fake amazement at a
carnival or magic show. Maybe it was the fact that I refused to believe that forced me into this mess in the first place, or maybe it was just destined
to happen. But either way, I learned my lesson the hard way. It all began on my summer vacation to see my grandparents in Egypt when I was 13. As
I got off the airplane, with my small blue suitcase in one hand and my computer bag in the other, I saw my grandparents in the distance and began to...
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My grandfather followed behind with my suitcase. The whole car ride grandmother chattered on and on about all of the great places we could go see,
including a newly discovered pyramid and sphinx. After we pulled up to the small square house that my grandparents were renting, I headed up stairs
to my room in the attic. I put my suitcase and computer bag on the floor and plopped into an old bean bag chair in the corner of the room. As I looked
around the room, still crowded with unpacked boxes I saw an old box in the corner that seemed to glow with an eerie light. I heaved myself up off
of the bean bag chair and opened the box. Inside were 2 orbs, 1 was a bright gold while the other was a metalic blue color. Carefully, I picked up
both orb began to walk towards my bed, but on my way I tripped over my suit case and face planted on the floor. The orbs in my hands shattered. As
I picked myself and began to collect the broken pieces of glass, I realized the glass was moving. The glass seemed to be melting forming 2 distinct
shapes. In a few minutes 2 human figures had formed, one with golden hair and the other with metalic blue eyes. The people looked to be teenagers
like me. The kid with metalic blue eyes took 1 glance at me, then at the girl next to her and took off. She jumped through the small window in the
corner and disappeared through the busy streets. The other girl, with golden hair, chased
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Essay The Teleological Argument
William Paley and David Hume's argument over God's existence is known as the teleological argument, or the argument from design. Arguments from
design are arguments concerning God or some type of creator's existence based on the ideas of order or purpose in universe. Hume takes on the
approach of arguing against the argument of design, while Paley argues for it. Although Hume and Paley both provide very strong arguments, a
conclusion will be drawn at the end to distinguish which philosophiser holds a stronger position. Throughout this essay I will be examining arguments
with reference to their work from Paley's "The Watch and the Watchmaker" and Hume's "The Critique of theTeleological Argument".
Paley's analogy came about from the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This means that one knows of God's existence through a posteriori knowledge (Paley, 1802, 196–197). For example, he makes a comparison between
the universe to a watch, and God to watchmaker. Watches are made by watchmaker with prior experience with it, but we never truly experience it.
This meaning that we ourselves are incapable of such craftsmanship and things that exhibits design has a designer and Paley claims that therefore the
universe it must be the work of God (Paley, 1802, 197).
His second argument for design he makes a comparison between machines and humans saying that both are equally complex and it was built with a
purpose in mind. If changes are made to the watch such as taking away an internal component that makes it runs, or the minute or hour hand, its
purpose would suddenly change and it would no longer be a watch.
In his third argument about arguing from mind to design, he states that using the mind as a representation is only a small part of universe (Paley,
1802, 197). For example, a watch must have had a watchmaker because such a complex idea and mechanism could not have just come from nature. A
creator with prior knowledge of the watch must have created it. Therefore, the universe must have had a creator. This creator was God.
Lastly, his fourth argument assumes that things can be created by matter therefore if other things say otherwise it would be disregarded (Paley,
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The Fragility Of Life In Grace Paley's 'Samuel'
This is my response to Grace Paley's short story titled "Samuel." Throughout the story, Paley uses language to generate a healthy dialogue about
the fragility of life by comparing the thoughts and reactions of all the characters in the story leading up to and following Samuel's tragic death.
The story conveys the story of four young boys and their adventure on a subway one day. The story chronicles the thoughts of the passengers on
the train in New York City, and their actions leading up and following the unfortunate death of the main character Samuel. At the start of this story
Paley tells the reader "Some boys are very tough. They're afraid of nothing." (Paley). By using words like brave and tough, Paley tells the reader
what characteristics were ideal for the four boys featured in this story. She goes on to say, "They are the ones who climb a wall and take a bow at
the top. Not only are they brave on the roof, but they create plenty of noise in the darkest part of the cellar where even the super hates to go. They
also jiggle and hop on the platform between the locked doors of the subway cars." (Paley) Paley connects those two words to give the reader a
vague idea of what Samuel and his friends view about death. Paley conveys that the boys were unaware that death was looming of them. Their goal in
jumping on the subway car was to prove they were fearless. The boys' actions in the subway car show that their goal was to prove there that
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William Paley's Views Of The Evidence Of Christianity
William Paley
I.Abstract:
Born in Peterborough, England in July 1743, William Paley was a natural philosopher and wrote many books on Christianity. Before working his
way through the ranks of the Anglican Church, Paley graduated first of his class from Christ's College in Cambridge in 1763, became a deacon in
1765, and was appointed assistant curate by a tutor of the college in 1766. He opposed slavery, advocated for prison reform, and was a utilitarian. He
believed that "humans act morally to increase their overall level of happiness." Paley had eight children with his wife, Jane Hewitt – married in 1776.
He was a very popular preacher publishing many lectures and books and is considered "one of England's most important theologians of his generation."
William Paley died on May 25th, 1805 and is currently buried next to his wife in the Carlisle Cathedral.
II.His Works:... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This book was even a required textbook for students to have at Cambridge up until the 20th century. Paley's lectures and books presented a
utilitarian view of the world and tried proving that God was the reason for existence. Of his many works, his most famous one (and the last one
before his death in 1805) is called Natural Theology; or, Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity, Collected from the Appearances of
Nature (1802). In Natural Theology, Paley begins with a metaphor of God as a watchmaker. He argues that God can be understood by observing the
natural world and the only conclusion in this metaphor is that the watch or 'design' must have had a maker or 'designer' (whom is
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Essay about The Inadequacy of Paley's Argument from Design
The Inadequacy of the Argument from Design
William Paley's teleological argument (also known as the argument from design) is an attempt to prove the existence of god. This argument succeeds
in proving that while existence was created by an aggregation of forces, to define these forces, as a conscious, rational, and ultimately godlike is
dubious. Although the conclusions are valid, the argument makes several logical errors. Theteleological argument relies on inductive reasoning,
rendering the argument itself valid, but unsound. The argument fails to apply its own line of reasoning to itself, resulting in infinite regression. Beyond
the scope of its logical flaws, the arguments content lacks accurate comparisons. The argument hinges on a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although this type of argument is practical at predicting patterns of re–occurring events, they are never legitimately sound. Consider the sunrise. It has
risen every day for thousands of years on end. Therefore, it will rise tomorrow. Despite the odds of this happening being very high, there is not a one
hundred percent chance that it will. Furthermore, consider the existence of the universe itself. Although the odds of life being created by a random
amalgamation of forces are very low, the correct combination for life to exist only has to occur once. From that point forward, evolution and a reaction
to external stimuli allows life to change naturally.
The argument also indulges in an infinite regression. It assumes that a transcendent god created the entire universe. However, it fails to account for
what created the god. As stated in the lecture slides, a committee of lesser beings may have created the god, but that begs the question about who
created the committee. One could object to this idea and believe that god has always existed, transcending time and reality itself. Once again,
however, this logic is just as applicable to the universe. The universe is as capable of existing forever as a god is.
William Paley further begs the question in stating that because of perceived complexities in an entity, it must have been designed. This perceived
relation between complexity and design is an inherently
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The Design Argument Essay
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 ...
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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 theexistence 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 them
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William Paley's Argument For The Existence Of God
A design argument is more commonly know as a Teleological one, which is an argument for the existence of a creator or god "based on perceived
evidence of deliberate design in the natural or physical world".The argument has been discussed all the way back to the time of Socrates and Plato. In
my essay I will be evaluating one argument put forward by a famous philosopher, in this case William Paley, an English clergyman born in 1743, in
which he tries to show similarities in the design of nature and the design of man made artefacts.
William Paley's Theological argument for the existence of God raises quite a few questions from the offset of Paley's book Natural Theology. The
first piece of evidence that he uses to argue his point is his analogy of him stumbling upon a stone in a field and wondering how it came to be there
, Paley states that he could argue that it would be acceptable to believe that the stone had stayed there forever due to the fact he has no prior
knowledge of how it came to be there. Paley shows us that we as humans take a lot of things for granted in our lives due to the fact that we have ...
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would seem to suggest many gods are involved in universe making" this is an interesting point which does hurt Paley's analogy because he did
believe in a benevolent God and the idea of any Gods helping each other to create the universe or even the possibility of multiple Gods would mean
that there was no benevolent God because one could not create the world on its own. This is a very important question because it endangers Paley's
argument and from reading the chapters on the design argument in paley'sI do not believe Paley takes in to account the possibility of more than one
God existing and because of this I believe he ignores a serious way to disprove his own
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Explain the Teleological Arguments for the Existence of...
Explain the Teleological arguments
The word teleological originates from the Greek 'telos' meaning end or purpose. It infers the existence of God from a particular aspect or character of
the world, namely the presence of order, regularity and purpose, and thus, is most commonly known as the design argument; it postulates the idea of a
designer for all that has been designed. As its name suggests, the teleological argument attempts to seek the ultimate end or purpose.
Furthermore, the teleological argument holds the belief that this designer is the primary cause of such existences, and is therefore what Aristotle
would believe to be the 'uncaused cause', the 'unmoved mover'. It is never assumed that this initial cause could be God, yet ... Show more content on
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Thus, there must be a superior being, big enough to create a supreme artefact such as the universe. Finally, David Hume likened the world to 'one great
machine subdivided into an infinite number of lesser machines'. This theory however leads to the philosophy that similar effects require a similar
cause. Through the thrust of Hume's argument, he introduces us to two characters that express the argument for design; whilst a third, namely Philo,
criticises the argument. Swinburne identifies the argument from design and the argument to design, also known as the anthropic argument. The former
form usually involves analogy, and the latter, argues that nature provides for the needs of intelligent beings. This would however, require an extreme
intelligence such as God. The heart of this argument is that non–intelligent material things produce beneficial order and therefore require an intelligent
being to elicit this. Three features of the world particularly impressed eighteenth century thinkers; firstly the world as a whole, specifically the solar
system as described by Newton's gravitational theory. Secondly, the bodily forms of all animals and plants, in particular organs such as the eye. Finally,
the providential arrangement of things on earth amazed eighteenth century philosophers. This leads us back to the design argument for the pocket
watch, an aspect that also impressed people at the time; it was a new invention and a clear sign of breakthrough in
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Boston from 1850 to 1900 Essay
Brandee Meyer
Boston from 1850–1900 There was no time in Boston that was most emphasized, than the 1850's to 1900's. In the city of Boston there were a lot of
changes that had occurred between the second half of the 19th century, not only with the city but also with the people living in Boston. Boston has
always been changing and in transition.
Boston had changed majorly from being the merchant city to the industrial metropolis. The population of people went up about Вѕ in 50 years of its
physical change. When Boston was a merchant city in 1850, it was tightly packed and crowded, then once it because an industrial metropolis in 1900,
it was a spread out to a 10–mile radius, containing 31 cities and towns. The metropolis was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It was the same with the omnibus that was created in 1826, because it moved slowly and didn't hold many people. The steam railroad was another
form of transportation that was introduced in 1835 and it was a better form of transportation because it moved quicker and could hold many more
passengers, but it was also expensive and didn't always take the people to where they wanted to go because it didn't stop very often, and only went one
route.
There were land changes that occurred during the second half of the 19th century such as the South End and the Back Bay. The South End was almost
entirely taken up by houses in 1880 and then went to the Back Bay that was almost completely taken up by houses in 1900. Only the rich could afford
to live on these pieces of land, because they were so expensive. Street railways were created and they were the most aggressive expansion in the 19th
century. From the 1880's to the 1890's street railways took up at least six miles from City Hall in Boston. The service of the first railway began in
1852. The first street railway in Boston would go between Harvard Square, Cambridge, Summerville, and Union Square. The increase in the street
railway brought excitement for the entrepreneur's as well in other cities in America. Eventually the street railways replaced the omnibus's that were
already running
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Essay on Why the Design Argument Fails
Why the Design Argument Fails The Design Argument does fail due to its weaknesses, it is lacking in factual and substantial evidence to prove its
theories. It puts forward a lot of ideas and claims however they are not justified well enough; the only true fact is that you have to believe them. I feel
it is correct to claim that it fails due to the amount of criticising evidence against the theories for the existence of God.
The main philosopher to criticise and object to the Teleogical Argument wasDavid Hume. He looked at every point towards the existence towards a
creator and designer and then thought logically about the condemnation and came up with rebuttals. He realised that ... Show more content on
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He then compares a watch against a floating vegetable. "A clock to a large organic mass is not possible to compare. It would be better to compare it
to an immense floating object." He is stating how absurd it is that a small simple item could be linked to such a powerful designer. You cannot link a
watch towards something, which is a far more superior, and multitasking being. Like many of these assumptions they are lacking concrete evidence to
prove it, it is just a theory and therefore weakens the argument towards the existence of a creator.
Another protestation, which Hume makes, is the difference between the world at present and the world at birth. He asks how we can link what
was then from what we see now, the time difference is too great and too big of an assumption. When we link the dinosaurs and try to analysis their
life and habits we can only learn from what we have. Then we tend to assume what time period they lived and who hunted whom. Once again there
is no real evidence to prove where or when they existed and this is just like the creator theories. We assume and try to link things together from what
we have without looking at all the evidence and waiting for 100% accurate facts. So we just predict and say it is the way forward. However this is
incorrect and therefore false to state this. Yet many Philopshers tend to say that it is
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God Is Our Benevolent Creator
Paley's Natural Theology argues that in order for something to exist, there has to be a creator. A well
–known passage from his book includes someone
noticing a watch on the ground and anyone would assume that the watch was made by someone else. He connects this to the creation of life and
everything we know, to God's creations. That God made humans and everything else in this world, maybe as explained in the Biblical text of
Genesis. According to Paley, God is our benevolent creator, but what if everything existed before hand and God had nothing to do with it? It is hard to
tell what is true, following Paley and Christianity or the idea of true science and evolution. "In Paley's time, Natural Theology was an established field
of study, though it is now either neglected or known under another name. It can be defined as 'the branch of philosophy and theology which attempts to
prove God's existence, define God's attributes, or derive correct doctrine based solely from human reason and/or observations of the natural world.' If
classical theology is concerned with a study of the scriptures, then natural theology is the attempt to derive theological ideas from nature, without
reference to scripture." (Hovind) Where Paley falls short is that he does not pull from Christian scriptures. His theory comes solely from nature itself.
Before the traveler of his watchmaker theory story, State of the Argument in Natural Theology, comes across the watch, he first sees a rock. For all he
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The Teleological Argument for God's Existence Essay
The Teleological Argument for God's Existence
The teleological argument is also known as the argument from design. 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. William Paley put forward perhaps the most famous version of this with the watchmaker argument.
Imagine you live on a desolate desert island and one day you come across a watch. By looking at it and examining, the intricate and complicated
mechanisms you would conclude that it was designed by an intelligent designer. A watch could not happen by chance. Lets apply that logic to things in
our own universe.
The mechanics of our hands are very ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Some argue the earth could not happen by chance. The probability of the 'Big Bang' creating a 'perfect world' is minuscule, 1 in a million. However, if
we think of all the planets in our universes that are not sustaining life then it does not seem so improbable.
Back to this 'perfect watch', its not perfect. It does not automatically adjust the time when the clocks go forward. Instead it spitefully ticks away
knowing that you will be late for work. Alternatively, does it remember leap years? Does it give you an apology? No because it is a mean and
uncaring watch.
Our world is much like this watch, its imperfect. It is rude and selfish. People are staving and we are sitting here stuffing our faces. Our amazing hands
are not so amazing after all, they wear out, muscles and bones break. Surely, an intelligent designer would design us with out these faults.
It is not just us with these faults. Meteorites crash into planets, the sun will one day plunge us into darkness if its heat has not dried us out and we
could be sucked into a black hole.
You could say 'nobodies perfect', but God, by definition, is a perfect being. If God created the universe, it would have to be perfect. David Hume
believes that the universe does not have to be created by a perfect being merely an intelligent one.
The idea that God sat down and designed then made organisms like
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Life of Workers in Staithes Essay
Close by the giant textile mill row on row on row of drab terrace houses huddle together as if to fend off the bitter cold of a winter night in
December of 1811. Night obscures the narrow streets of the industrial village of Holmeside as morning's hesitant light pokes through the canopy of
dismal clouds. Inside the mill, workers have been toiling for hours. They rose from their beds early and put on their work clothing. The lucky ones
ate a crust of bread and drank the remains of yesterday's milk before stepping out into the chilly darkness to make their way to the mill. They carried
the smallest children. Older children plodded along sleepily as if newly raised from the dead and not yet accustomed to walking. The eldest child is the
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All that is human is troubled by their failure to benefit except by Death's summons. The portal of the grave is their only means of escape.
Some said the disadvantages of the poor were their own making. Many believed that the working poor were not fully human, but a bestial and
inferior species, unlike themselves, specifically supplied by Providence as servants through whose labour they ran profitable enterprises. The poor
were seen as a raw material in the same class as wool and cotton. They were cheap to employ and easy to replace. Those that looked down on workers
failed to see that working conditions in textile mills were why workers were afflicted with conditions for which no treatment existed.
These early morning people move in procession through the streets, uniting with others at street junctions to form broader streams, merging with other
streams as they neared the mill to form a grand current of humanity closing on the massive iron gates of the mill that were symbols of imprisonment.
Once inside the gates, workers fanned out to go to various work stations to work as machine minders in the manufactory. This was the common
condition of men, women, and children in the hard textile country of Yorkshire's West Riding. The characters of Yorkshire folk were forged in the
crucibles of harsh terrain and exacting industrial environments.
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Essay on The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter
Reflection On: The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter By Vivian Gussin Paley (In the book, The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter, Vivian Gussin
Paley discusses her experiences in her preschool classroom with Jason, a boy who tends to isolate himself, and offers solutions on how other educators
can help students become well–adjusted and active learners.) – not sure to mention this..
I think this book gives us the opportunity to reflect on our roles in our students' lives, as a general classroom teacher and how we can best help our
students develop into active learners and well–adjusted adults. Paley also made us think about how children's story and classroom community play a
significant role in helping children learn about themselves and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In this storytelling process, Jason and his classmates actively engage in making their own stories and extend them with their classmates. Jason's
classmates made a lot of effort to incorporate Jason and his helicopter in their shared story. I believe it is noteworthy to recognize how Paley is able to
shift the main focus in the classroom from the student–teacher relationship to the student–student relationship. We found Paley's view on
conflict–resolution very interesting. She states: "Problems are not meant to be solved. They are ours to practice on, to explore the possibility with,
to help us study cause and effect. Important issues can't be solved with one grand plan...Some are worked at for a lifetime, returning in different
disguise, requiring fresh insights" (p. 80) For children, play can be a powerful medium in which to practice their problems and to freely enjoy the
process of reaching a solution Another strategy we found useful was Paley's use of make–believe when dealing with misbehavior in her classroom. She
does not view misbehavior as bad, or something to be punished, rather, she maintains that these behaviors are misreadings of a script–in–progress,
something that is in need of reworking. This means that each student can feel free to experience the trials and errors of their
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What Is Paley's Design Argument
This is the second argument about God's existence. Perhaps the most popular variant owed to this this argument is William Paley's argument
concerning the watch. Essentially, this argument states that after observing a watch, together with its intricate parts, which function together as a unit
in an accurate manner to keep time, anybody must realize that such piece of machinery has its creator, as it is too complicated to have easily come into
presence through other means, like evolution (Ratzsch, 2005). The following is a skeleton of this argument: Human artifacts are items resulting from
intelligent design and such artifacts have an aim. Universes appear like these human artifacts. Hence: it is likely that the universe is an outcome of
intelligent design and has an aim. However, the universe is both gigantic and complex than an artifact made by a human. Therefore, there is likelihood
that a powerful and a vastly intelligent designer created the universe.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Artifacts like watches are the items of intelligent design and so, organisms are also things of intelligent design. Hume stated that things that can be
compared to arguments are few. He noted that watches are not identical to living things and hence deduced that Paley's argument is extremely feeble.
This is another kind of criticism in which Hume fails. This is because the local design argument of Paley is good comprehended not as an analogical
argument but rather as adductive argument (which is the best explained argument). Thus, it must not be examined on the basis of similarity of watches
(analog) to living organisms (the target), but rather by the way of surprise principle. Surprise principle states that design hypothesis is good warranted
as compared to Random Hypothesis. This allegation is not impacted by the fact that the organisms are different to other things. Thus Hume's criticism
misses the
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Summary Of The Watchmaker Argument By William Paley
"The Watchmaker Argument" by William Paley has been of great controversy because of its analogy between the creation of a watch and the creation
of the universe. Paley's argument consists of the idea of there being a creator for everything, he uses the complicated composition of a watch as to
prove that there has to be a watchmaker and therefore the complicated composition of the universe serves as to prove that there is in fact a Universe
creator (God). Although Paley's argument is strong and valid, David Hume's opposing argument is more valid due to the premises he uses. Hume argues
that it is impossible to compare something created by the human mind to something as complex as the universe simply because there is a lot about the
creation of the universe that is unknown, unlike the creation of a house (or watch).
William Paley uses the invention of a watch as an analogy to the invention of the universe. He argues that if we observe the very complicated and
detailed design of the universe we can see that there was in fact a maker. Paley argues that the complicated structure of a watch is enough prove that
there was a watch maker just like the complicated structure of the universe is prove enough to show that there is universe maker. He also shows that the
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He states that "It is not necessary that a machine be perfect, in order to shew with what design it was made: still less necessary, where the only
question is, whether it were made with any design at all." (Paley 5). Paley's argument here is whether or not the perfection of a watch (universe)
shows the design in which it was, he argues that this is not a relevant factor as to whether or not there is a creator for it and whether or not this was
made with any design at
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The Design Argument for the Existence of God Essay
The Design Argument for the Existence of God While theology may take God's 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 pattern. The argument says that things in the world move towards goals, just as the arrow does not move toward its goal except
by the archer's directing it. Consequently there must be an intelligent designer who directs all things to their... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many components of nature appear to be very finely tuned for this, and the odds against this happening by chance are astronomical. Criticisms against
these are the principles of self–organisation and evolution which provide complete explanations for apparent design and the odds against all possible
universes are equally astronomical, yet one of them must be the actual universe. b, The idea that God exists and that he is the architect to serve the
purpose that the universe is designed proves subjective. Different observations in the natural world can produce different theories to account for their
existence. Also, the proof is built on analogy, thus if we find there are things in the universe that are disordered, then by analogy, the would imply
there is no designer. Another thing wrong with the argument is that it is not obvious that the universe or living things are intelligently designed.
Science, such as physics and biology, can prove that not everything that has a design is intelligently designed: "There cannot be design without a
designer; contrivance without a contriver ... The marks of design are too strong to be got over. Design must have had a designer. That designer must
have been a person. That person is GOD" (Paley). This seems logical because objects, such as a watch or a computer, have a design and therefore
somebody had to design it.
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William Paley And David Hume
Intelligent by Design
Written by Alexander Staggs–Vargas One of the most prominent philosophical arguments that remains today is the debate on the existence of God or
an Intelligent Designer. This debate dates back a time of many Gods and deities during the era of Socrates, Plato and their students, including
Aristotle. This discussion will focus on the differing works of authors William Paley and David Hume and I will argue that there is an Intelligent
Designer for our universe. William Paley believes in the existence of God and that through his watchmaker analogy in "Natural Theology" he can
prove that there is an Intelligent Designer. David Hume addresses William Paley's argument in "Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion" and argues
Paley's analogy is weak since Hume believes we cannot analogize earthly things from things we cannot understand. In this paper, I will address these
teleological arguments. To begin, we need to understand Paley's teleological argument that we are products of an Intelligent Designer. He argues that:
"1) Human artifacts are products of intelligent design and we have a purpose; 2) The universe resembles these human artifacts; 3) Due to the
similarities, it is probable that the universe is also a product of intelligent design; 4) However, the universe is vastly more complex and gigantic than a
human artifact; and, 5) Therefore, it is most logical that a powerful and vastly intelligent designer created the universe." Paley's teleological
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Persuasive Essay : Paley 's Argument From Design
PH 101–01
Instructor: Jason Smith
Student: Donna Delva
6/16/17
Critically evaluate Paley's argument from design. What kind of argument is it? How does it work? What does it aim to show? Does Paley succeed?
Why or Why not?
While theology may take God 's existence as necessary on the basis of faith, or discovery, many philosophers have thought it's possible to prove by
reason that there must be a God. The teleological argument, also known as the argument from design simply states that a designer must exist since the
universe and living things display elements of design in their order, consistency, unity and pattern. It is based on observations of the order in the
universe and the natural world, to conclude that it is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Some general comments on the effect–cause relationship in the argument from design I will described below:
To argue from design is to argue from order to an end found in some thing or in a group of things to a cause capable of explaining that order. We
observe that the parts of the eye work together so that we can see, and we wonder what is responsible for this order. We know that in the case of an
artifact, the order of the parts in it to an end depends on there being an agent capable of planning it. To plan is to figure out appropriate means to
achieve an end which one has fixed upon. A plan for a toaster would involve heating elements, a place to put the bread, and controls. Ideally, in
addition to this plan, however, one would also have another sort of plan, namely, directions for how to realize the desired arrangement (as we all know
from having tried to assemble something without reading the directions). In addition to plans, there must, of course, also be an agent with the power to
realize them. The need for both planning and power to execute is sometimes overlooked: People sometimes mistakenly think that if one can identify
efficient causes which realize order in the effect then there is no need to bring in a planner.
This description of how order to an end comes about in a thing that sounds sensible, but when one tries to apply it to the origin of living things the
alternative explanation of chance presents itself. The
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Essay on Samuel by Grace Paley
Francis1 Samuel lessons learned The story "Samuel" by Grace Paley takes place on a moving subway headed towards the Bronx. The passengers
introduce Samuel and friends as tough little boys that are not afraid of anything. "The boys are just being boys" is also used. Many of the passengers
had opportunities to tell them to calm down or even to tell them to stop. This could of have prevented the death of Samuel. Some men relive their
childhood through the boy's and many of the ladies shaking their head with disapproval. A woman passenger does approach the boys only to be
laughed at when she warns them about their behavior. As another onlooker thinks he is doing them a favor by pulling the emergency cord. The end
result is the death... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the end, Samuel dies a tragic death. The cord puller action did more harm than helping the situation. A tone is the way the author conveys his or
her unstated attitudes toward the story. The tone from the beginning to the end of Samuel is a serious tone. "Some boys are very tough. They're
afraid of nothing. The description Paley gives in the first two sentences makes you feel that the tone is going to be serious. Another example can be
when the ladies in subway car become angry when they look at the boys. "Most of them brought their brows together and hoped the boys could see
their disapproval". They convey the serious tone through the way they feel through facial expressions. Thoughts of one of the women passenger's
shows a mothers concern when she attempts to confront the boys. "One of the ladies wanted to get up and say, be careful you dumb kids, get off the
platform or I'll call the cop." The tone makes the situation serious tone even if it was thought and not an action. In another paragraph her action show
the seriousness of the situation when thinks of her own child. "She stood up with determination and went to the door. Her action tells us that tone was
not to be taken lightly and it was a serious matter. Foreshadowing is to show or indicate an action to be coming. Although the story is centered around
Samuel, it is actually told by the passengers who witness the turn of events of Samuel and his friends Alfred,
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William Paley: The Indicator Of The Existence Of God
Introduction
Natural theology refers to truths known about God when reflecting on nature, environment and living organisms in the world. William Paley was born
in seventeen forty–three, and he got ordained as an Anglican priest in the year seventeen sixty–seven–a year later he became a professor of theology at
Cambridge University. He believes that the design of creation in living things stands as a prime indicator of the existence of God in our society. Paley
argues that in the perfection or imperfection of nature and machines are attributed to a creator and the capability to reproduce is as a result of a
supreme being. In the case study that illustrates his belief he asks the reader to imagine a scenario; when crossing a heath, you come across a watch
on the ground. To this effect one observes that all its parts have been designed to achieve the desired purpose of measuringtime; an intellect would not
think its existence is by chance but the work of a talented artisan.
The state of the argument ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Paley comes to a conclusion due to the incapability of the watch to reproduce; he places living things which he regards as nature greater than earthly
inanimate objects. He further states that comparing the working of tools and instruments in this time they can be a comparison that argues that nature
and machines work or are designed in the same way to achieve the desired purpose. The watch as the basis of his argument; he explains, when on
comes across a rock, and a question is posed how did this rock come into being; appropriately one could say it had been there since the beginning of
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Racial Barriers in Grace Paley's Short Story Samuel Essay
Racial Barriers in Grace Paley's Short Story Samuel
It is hard to distinguish the difference between which race is more important. One might ask themselves if white is superior over colored skin. There
have been numerous struggles and much success in the fight towards equality between the races. Although many large steps have been made, there are
still existing racial barriers. One particular struggle is whether or not people of different races should interact with each other. Should Caucasian adults
interact with young children of color? A question that becomes especially critical when children are putting themselves in potentially dangerous
situations. This moral debate is portrayed in Grace Paley's short story, "Samuel." ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the short story, "Two men and others looked at the four boys jumping and jiggling on the platform and thought, It must be fun to ride that way"
(191). Men normally have influence to control dangerous situations and instead of using this power to persuade the boys to come into a safe place,
they allow the children to continue to endanger their lives. The women on the train " became very angry when they look at the four boys. Most of
them brought their brows together hoping the boys would see their extreme disapproval" (191).
In the story, one woman in the subway car saw that "three of the boys were Negroes and the fourth was something else she couldn't tell for sure. She
was afraid that they would be fresh and laugh at her and embarrass her" (191). It seems that the women are scared of even confronting the barrier that
separates her from the children. The racial wall is so intimidating to the women that all they could do is sit and watch the young boys in fear of their
safety.
As time passed, the racial begun to slowly deteriorate. Sometimes, motherly instincts will overcome anything, and in this case it is to persuade the
women to stand up to the children. "The lady who was afraid of embarrassment saw the boys jerk forward and backwards and grab the swinging guard
chains...She stood up with determination and went to the door" (191). Allowing her maternal
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Teleological Argument Strengths
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Teleological Argument
Also known as the argument from design, the teleological argument simply states that a designer must exist considering that life in the universe can
only occur when it meets the right conditions of "certain fundamental physical constants that are within a very narrow range", according to
InspiringPhilosophy. They also exhibit marks of pattern, consistency, unity and order in their design.
In the Watchmaker Argument by William Paley, he stated that human artifacts are products ofintelligent design. The universe looks like human artifacts.
Ergo, the universe is a product of intelligent design. But because of its complexity and gigantic size, when compared to human artifacts, it is probably ...
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Supported by inductive reasoning
Teleological argument offers natural and revealed theology. There are evidence that we can observe, making it difficult to deny the presence of
complexity and order in the universe. There is apparent design in the different parts that come together to form the whole, such as the heart, brain, eyes
and other parts that make up the body.
2.Simple and straightforward
The use of analogy makes teleological argument comprehensible, allowing us to move from something within experience and try to explain something
beyond experience, such as the creation of the universe. It also doesn't rely on fixed definitions that everyone must accept, but begins with experience
that may be universal or at least testable.
3.Consistent with the scriptures
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through
what has been made, so that they are without excuse. This verse from the first chapter of the book of Romans is further reinforced by the statement
that we are made in God's image. This makes the argument a scientific theory that can actually be assessed. So this makes it a posteriori and inductive
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Essay on The Argument from Design, by William Paley
During the 1800th century, William Paley, an English philosopher of religion and ethics, wrote the essay The Argument from Design. In The Argument
from Design, Paley tries to prove the existence of a supreme being through the development of a special kind of argument known as the teleological
argument. The teleological argument is argument by analogy, an argument based on the similarities between two different subjects. This essay
purposefully attempts to break down Paley's argument and does so in the following manner: firstly, Paley's basis for the teleological argument is
introduced; secondly, Paley's argument is derived and analyzed; thirdly, the connection between Paley's argument and the existence of a supreme being
is made; and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Having introduced Paley's main a posteriori experience, the following paragraphs will describe and justify Paley's reasoning for using such
argument to describe the existence of a superior being. Firstly, Paley concentrates in the process leading to the creation of the watch. The process
for creating a watch is very systematic and involves knowledge of mechanical engineering, a trade known to few men. Yet, it is not necessary to
know the inner workings of the watch to use it on a daily basis: it is only necessary to understand the relationship between the position of the watch's
hands to the sunrise and sunset of day. Paley concludes that even though he could not create a watch, some supreme being could create such watch. In
other words, anything that shows evidence of creation has a creator and such creator exists or has existed at one point in time. To further refine the
previous conclusion, Paley acknowledges the imprecision of the watch, for the watch is not always correct in predicting time. The watch might get
ahead or behind, but the overall purpose for which the watch was created remains intact: it might predict the wrong time, note however, that it still
predicts time. The conclusion in the previous paragraph is not contradicted by any of the watch's faults simply because the being's purpose for
creating the watch still exists. Therefore, Paley's supreme being not only creates but also does so with a specific purpose.
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William Paley's Argument From Design
Argument from Design In the Argument from Design article by William Paley, he begins the argument by describing the mechanisms of a watch.
These parts all combine in a certain way to make the watch work, or even exist. If these parts were not combined in the exact order, the watch would
not do anything profound. Paley further describes how an observer could conceive the watch in the mind. He would then reflect, in some sense, how
the watch was made independently. It was not brought into existence by other watches, but only by a creator combining different items together. There
is the idea of metallic nature, but assuming a law also assumes a lawgiver. Therefore, there must be some sort of creator of the watch, even though the
creator is unknown. This same concept could be applied to the universe, stating that there must be a creator that made these elaborate... Show more
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Even if people were unaware of the person who made the watch, ignorance is not an excuse for not giving credit to the artist. An objection to his
argument is that some of the parts seem to have no function, so they were not designed. Paley states there may be a function of these parts that we
are unable to see or understand. The design is evident from examining the rest of the watch. The machine does not have to be perfect in order to
understand the artist's design of the mechanism. For example, a blueprint of a machine can show you the idea and purpose of the final results, even
though all the parts on the blueprint are not specifically described on why it exists. The design could not be a fault of chance due to its complexity.
The observer of the watch cannot be driven out of his conclusion, even though he may know
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Evaluating Paley's Design Argument
Ultimately, Paley's argument uses an inductive argument to suggest that all things with properties of intelligence and complexity must have an
intelligent designer who designs them for a specific purpose. When evaluating Paley's design argument, it is evident that it has its flaws. From the
inductive argument presented, objections can be made in the first premise by claiming that not all processes have a clear purpose. For instance, when
natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes occur, what purpose do they serve exactly, and why would God's work include such disaster? In
fact, that leads us to ask why the universe would be designed with such imperfections? It is these types of questions that David Hume utilizes to
undermine the design... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The dilemma theists are presented with is that if the world has imperfections due to the evil that exists, which serves no clear purpose, then God,
the designer of the world, therefore must be imperfect. But this is not the image that is to be perceived of God if he were to exist. Instead, God, in
the human mind, would only exist if he was a perfect being. Without the characteristic of a perfect being, one is able to claim that God does not
exist as the designer of the world. However, the main criticism that Hume proposes is to not claim that it is impossible for God not to exist as a
perfect being but rather our lack of experience in the creation of the world cannot allow us to claim that God is perfect. Because the design argument
is an empirical argument for the existence of God, our experiences with the world, including those that involve evil, cannot allow us to possibly ignore
the fact that God may not be a perfect being. If this this case, then God's image
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Paley's Argument For Intelligent Design
Paley's Argument For Intelligent Design and Its Criticisms Paley's teleological argument defends the idea of the existence of god through the idea of
consistent and orderly design. Paley uses an example of finding a rock on the ground and then finding a watch. He argues that finding the watch, with
all of its perfectly fit working parts, suggests an intelligent creator.In his argument, the watch is employed as an analogy for the universe. He states
that the universe and all of its working complexities points to the existence of an intelligent creator. There are several alternant and contradicting
beliefs to Paley's assertions. Some call into question the validity of the analogy itself. Others say it is an incredibly far jump to assert the existence of a
god through the universe since the universe and its workings are so undiscovered by humanity. Paley addresses many of these alternant arguments in
his essay. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This the argument was in reference to the analogy that the watch was the same as the universe. Some came to the conclusion that since it was an
unseen event which created the universe, one cannot and should not make a conclusive statement about its origin. Paley attempts to debunk this
argument by stating that regardless of the fact that the actual physical making of the universe was not witnessed, there is still a physical universe that
is evidence for its origin. He says that there should be no doubt of the universes artist because his existence is easily inferred through the complexity of
the universes
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Philosophy Of Religion : Critically Evaluating The...
Philosophy of Religion
Critically evaluating the Argument from Design
C3182916, Paul Sater,
University of Newcastle Callaghan
Essay one The Argument from design or also known as the Teleological argument (Telos: Purpose, Teleology: Study of something's purpose or design)
is endowed on the assumption of a God or creator which has intelligently and elegantly designed the universe to such intricate and fine detail. In which
argues that something so immaculately designed for example the structural complexity and delegacy of the eye, can only be as a direct result of an
intelligent designer or (God). The argument from design is a collection of empirical and inductive arguments that identify characteristics found in
natural objects and infer God as the cause.
The Argument from design is analogous in nature and can be envisioned through key philosopher William Paley (1743–1809). With his argument of
intelligent design acknowledged as the "classical" statement in coupled with his natural theology (1802). Additionally we will explore other forms of
the argument from design in a more contemporary version. These consist of Hugh Ross' Fine–tuning of the universe in reference to his published book
The Creator and the Cosmos (1999), and the explanation of how the theory of evolution by natural selection attempts to account for the rise in complex
organisms and natural structures without inferring to the concept of an intelligent designer. Lastly, exploring a critical discussion of
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The Argument Of Creation Vs. Evolution
The argument of Creation vs. Evolution has been debated for quite sometime. Since Darwin's theory of Evolution by Natural Selection was published,
some of those that thought the world and its inhabitants was made by a creator now began to think differently. Evolution began to make sense, there
was evidence of certain types of species evolving (as in the finches in the galapogos islands as observed by Darwin) however, with creationism there
was no evidence, it was all based on faith. Although Darwin's theory stands at the forefront for the belief in Evolution especially for those that tend to
lean towards this side of the argument, there have been and still is many who support the argument of Design or what is referred to as the teleological
argument. Philosophers such as St. Thomas Aquinas andWilliam Paley wrote about the belief in there being a creator in their famous works. David
Hume, William Derham and Richard Bentley to name a few also wrote about intelligent design. I believe in Creationism. I believe that the universe and
everything in it came into existence because of a higher intelligence and not solely from a primordial soup and if in fact everything did start out as a
soup, all the ingredients for this soup was put together by the head chef. In researching this topic, I believe that creationism and evolution
(micro–evolution) can co–exist without one absolutely refuting the other. I believe this designer created existence in such a way that evolution is
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Comparing Aquinas, And Paley's Natural Theology
A watch embodies all appearances of intelligent design. It has purpose, a certain disposition or instruction. It is a complex object; all parts are
needed for it to fulfil its purpose and we could not substitute any of these parts. It is made of a specific set of materials; we do not find smelted gold
or blown glass naturally occurring in nature. The watch also has a regular motion. All these properties and dispositions a watch personifies show it is a
creation and not just a naturally occurring object. The same is said about the human eye through analogy. This is the reasonWilliam Paley chose to use
the watch as well as the human eye to highlight his argument for design in his work Natural Theology, (1802). The teleological argument he puts forth
is one we can know empirically through observation. It is not the purpose of the argument to fully convince us that the argument is correct in every
way. The purpose is to offer the audience a logical and suggestible conclusion. However the argument... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He argues that what we see within nature always acts towards an end. He goes on to explain things in nature "achieve their end, not fortuitously but
designedly" Although the end things achieve may not be seen as purpose it can be a cause for acting in a certain way.
This is where the idea of creating objects to fulfill purposes becomes blurred. A reasonable comparison would be to fill up a glass with water and
then have the water amazed at the fact the glass has been made to fit it perfectly, when in fact it could be no other way. This is an example of a weak
anthropic argument. If such a thing as the universe was different in any of way we would not be around to know about it. We are left to inhabit the
only known universe able to exist. Maybe it is the human race which has adapted for the universe, not the other way around, as the human eye has been
finely tuned for
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Analysis Of Paley's Teleological Argument
The Teleological Argument is concerned with reason as to why the world functions in a orderly manner is 'orderly the same as 'apparently purposeful'?
What's the difference? The argument is an a posteriori argument which begins with looking at the natural world and Paley uses his watch analogy to
attempt to prove the existence of God. There are two aspects to Paley's argument – regularity and purpose. I think it's worth setting the scene with
mention of both. Good to use technical vocabulary such as 'a posteriori' meaning 'from observation'. Tactically this essay is launching well – many
students mistakenly believe you need a summation of who Paley was – which is a waste of time. The first way that Paley tries to argue for the
existence of God is the argument qua purpose. If we saw a stone that laid on the ground, we may assume that it it had laid there forever and not had
been crafted for a specific purpose. However, in... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Paley further develops his argument by comparing an aspect of the natural world such as an eye, with that of something which has been
constructed and assembled by a designer, like a telescope. They are very similar in the fact the the lens of telescope and eye are similar with regards to
position, power over rays of light and resemblance and that they are both set up in order to achieve a certain purpose, to produce a clear physical
image of objects. From this we can conclude the human eye show's no apostrophe as this is a verb not a genitive a great deal of complexity and it's
no apostrophe again as that is only used for 'it is' parts work together like that of the telescope, so just like the telescope has b een designed and ordered
in way to make it function, the eye has also been too, by a designer, which Paley argues is
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Does God Exist?
Every culture has its God. Christianity and Islam have their own god; the Romans and Greeks had their Pantheon. A lot of people believe in god
have thought that there is more to life the material world around us. It seems arises naturally the world over by believing in god. Does God exist? I
believe in God is exists by the philosophical argument: ontological argument, the first cause argument, the argument form design, and the moral
argument. Arguments relate to theexistence of God are in different forms: some focus on history, some on personal experience, some on philosophy,
and some on science. These arguments are the purported proof of the existence of God. If successfully, each argument supports a specific and certain
conception of God.
Argument I: The design argument for the existence of God. The argument from design is the teleological argument that focuses on the fact that the
universe is ordered. The complex world and order of nature must be designed by some mind. The mind is God. The key theme of design argument is
that God must exist though the way things work, and God as an intelligent designer who makes the world be the way it is. God exists from the way
things in nature are ordered and their apparent purpose. Everything appears to have a purpose by happened randomly. Therefore, God design and order
the world by particular way. Anthropic Principle is one of the main elements for the design argument. This principle considers the universe is
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The Teleological Argument For The Existence Of Intelligent...
The 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, there must have been a designer who implemented these specific details in order to create a fully functioning and
sustainable universe. These details have been found from a biological perspective, as well as from a cosmological scale. The teleological argument is
commonly used to provide evidence for the existence of the theistic God, or at least an intelligent designer. In contrast, those who are against the
teleological argument generally believe that the universe is a result of an accidental explosion. Although there are many theories that use the
teleological argument to provide strong support for intelligent design, there are also well–developed theories that oppose the teleological argument. A
philosopher who presents several contradicting arguments to the teleological argument is David Hume. In his writing, The Dialogue Concerning Natural
Religion, he presents his critique of the teleological argument and expresses his opposition through the fictional character Philo. In one of
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The Open Destiny of Life
The Open Destiny of Life
In the short story "A Conversation with My Father," written by Grace Paley, there are two stories intertwined. The main story is about a visit between
a middle–aged woman and her elderly, bedridden father. It is during this visit that the two of them discuss fiction and give their opinion towardstragedy
in literature and in life. The second is a story that the daughter creates for her father at his request. She proceeds to tell him a story about a mother
who, in order to be closer to her drug–addicted son, decides to experiment with the same drug and becomes a drug–addict herself, only to be deserted
by the son when he rises above his dependency. Building on her relationship with her own father, Paley... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Finally, it is obvious that these two stories mirror each other in the sense that they are about tenuous but essential connections between parents and their
children. The daughter abhors the kind of story her father wants because it is limiting. He, meanwhile, rejects her tale because he sees in it her
inability to face tragic realities of fiction and life, including his impending death. Their different attitudes towards the possibility of opportunities
and change, fictional or real, stem from their different world views and experiences. She went to college, but dropped out to become a writer,
hoping to win his affection. He loves her, but does not approve of her dropping out of school, her writing style, or her views on life. In the narrative
she creates for him, the father she would rather have surfaces as the mother who uses drugs as a means of being closer to be her son. One wonders
what his perfect daughter would have been like, had he written the tale. Would he have wanted her to be more like him? Would he have preferred her
to be inferior? Would everything have been different? . . . maybe.
Throughout the story, two reoccurring themes are experience and opportunity. The narrator believes that fiction should reflect the opportunities of life
not available to previous generations. In comparison, her father prefers the works of authors with whom he can relate, the kind of writers who spoke of a
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
Teleological Argument for the Existence of God Essay
This paper will examine the argument put forward by William Paley in 1802, in his Natural Theology. Paley offers an argument from design that
purports to show a clear and distinct reason why one should hold a belief in God, due to the inherent features of the world. It is attempted in this paper
to firstly: show that the argument should be rejected on the grounds of lacking a rationally flowing set of premises and conclusions; and secondly: that
the criticisms made by David Hume concerning the argument hold more weight than is generally granted by other philosophers, and should have
convinced one even before the advent of Darwinian theory. Added to this, it will be considered as to whether or not Darwin actually did destroy... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Roughly speaking, teleological arguments are those that appeal to the special features, or aspects, of the world that appear to be designed and
purposive, analogous to the cases of human design. For example, one might consider complex biological systems such as eyes, digestive or
reproductive structures, and so on. They are usually put probabilistically, arguing that the most plausible explanation is that of a world designer and
creator –– one with intelligence and purposes. It is not clear that Paley's argument was intended to be just so, but more on this at a later stage. Paley's
argument is quite simple in essence and is presented in a somewhat poetic and rather imaginative way. Paley first imagines what sort of thoughts one
would have stumbling across a rock. He concludes that no–one should be surprised at the presence of the rock, and that it hardly requires a specific
explanation: it would be quite plausible to assume that the rock just was, and had always been.
The discovery of the rock is then compared to the finding of a watch. Paley claims that one should immediately recognise it as the work of an
intelligent designer, even if one had never seen a watch before. He makes the claim that by the watch's very intrinsic make–up it could clearly be
concluded the intentional construction of an intelligent designer: the various
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

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Summary Of The Argument From Design By William Paley

  • 1. Summary Of The Argument From Design By William Paley The Argument from Design In William Paley's "Argument from Design" he seeks to prove God's existence by comparing the world and universe we live in to a machine, specifically a watch. The goal of the design argument is to prove the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, and wholly good God through the watch analogy. The analogy tries to say that if we look at the creation of theuniverse like that of a watch, we can infer that it has a purpose and a designer. While this seems to be valid, there are some flaws in Paley's argument that I will point out. Although Paley succeeds in presenting a well thought out argument that shows order in the world, he ultimately fails to prove the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, and wholly good God. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He explicitly states, "It is not necessary that a machine be perfect in order to show with what design it was made; still less necessary, where the only question is whether it was made with any design at all" (Paley 60). What Paley fails to talk about is the presence of natural evil in the world and how a defective design would to indicate that the designer is neither omnipotent nor all good. This brings up the problem of evil, which becomes a significant factor while looking at the characteristics of God. If God is omnipotent and all good then it can be said the world should be free from imperfections, but it is not, raising the question of whether or not God is in fact all–powerful and all good. Additionally, we cannot compare the world we live in to anything because of its complicated design. Because of this, when Paley tries to draw comparisons between the design of the watch to that of the stone, he falls short. In his second attempt to strengthen his argument, Paley again opens up two bigger holes that demonstrate the weakness in his ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 2. Paley's Argument For The Existence Of God As a teleological argument, Paley's argument for the existence of God can be distilled as: (1) everything has a purpose, (2) creators define a thing's purpose, so (3) therefore everything has a creator. After making his argument, Paley refutes eight common objections to his argument including the objections that not witnessing an object's creation means it was not created and that imperfection of creation means that there was not a creator. On the other hand, Hume's critique is a dialogue between a theist and a skeptic in which the skeptic, Philo, presents arguments against the existence of a creator. Among Philo's arguments are: because experiences are different, definite conclusions about a creator's existence cannot be made, since nature ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 3. Teleological Argument The Teleological Argument, God's Attributes, and Miracles: A Compounded Contradiction Introduction Some Abrahamic theists claim that the harmony of the universe is proof of an intelligent designer. This argument is known as the teleological argument and has evolved from classical philosophy to modern theology. In addition, subscribers of the Abrahamic religions also hold thatGod has attributes that include omniscience, omnipotence, and benevolence. Fundamentally, God is all knowing, all–powerful, and all good. In contrast, God created a perfect universe that is in harmony, but occasionally practices miracles. Can the teleological argument, miracles, and God's attributes coexist in a rational universe? This essay's goal is to demonstrate that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... One would assume that this final solution would not be attractive to theists, because of the negation of God's predicates of omnipotence, omniscience, and benevolence. In contrast, some Abrahamic theists may be satisfied with the reasoning that there cannot be miracles. However, this contradicts fundamental aspects of their faith. For example, the story of the Virgin Mary is a miracle that is fundamental to Christian and Muslim faith. According to the story, Mary was selected to be the giver of birth to God's son, the angel Gabriel delivered the news to her. She was impregnated by the Holy Spirit and then gave birth to Jesus Christ as a virgin. If a theist is willing to disregard the Virgin Mary being a virgin, then this may disrupt fundamental aspects of Christian and Muslim faith. Moreover, this would mean either that Jesus was not the son of God and thus he would not have divine attributes such as the ability to work miracles, or that Jesus never existed at all. Consequently, Jesus would have never died for humanity's sins and thus all humans would be damned to hell. Therefore, Abrahamic theists cannot accept argument (a) without disrupting fundamental aspects of their faith, and argument (b) demonstrates that God cannot have certain attributes and create ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 4. The Existence Of God Essay The existence of God has long been a topic of debate. It is the ultimate topic of discussion, as everyone seems to have an opinion on it. I will look at the traditional arguments for the existence of God, the ones that have stood the test of time, and find out how convincing the arguments really are by looking at each one in turn, analysing the logic behind each argument, and finally looking at its criticisms and the responses to the criticisms. The first argument for the existence of God I will look at is the cosmological argument, more commonly known as the "First Cause" argument. It is attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher. The basic premise is that for theUniverse to exist, something must have caused it to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... According to Russell, there is no reason why it needs a cause to come into existence. Similarly, there is no reason why it couldn't have existed eternally: Aquinas uses the fallacy of moral dilemma to offer us no other selection of choices. This is not a formal fallacy, as you can see below, but an informal fallacy originating in premise #3. There is also question over the other 2 premises: 1.There is a first cause of the Universe 2.The first cause must be eternal 3.God is the only eternal being _________________________________ 4.The first cause is God It has also not been proven that something that comes into being needs a cause, as nothing that we know of has ever come into existence, merely changed from one state into another, therefore the Universe does not need a first cause. Following the First Cause argument, Russell also asked the question: if God made the Universe, who made God? Anybody responding to these criticisms will say that God does not need a creator because he caused everything else and is eternal. Aquinas described God as "the necessary being" and "the immovable mover". According to him, God is the only thing that has no beginning or end. His argument is entirely dependent on his own belief in his premises. Another popular argument for the existence of God is the teleological argument, more commonly known as the Design
  • 5. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 6. What I Learned About Magic I used to not believed in mythical creatures, magic, or spirits, I never liked the movies or books with fairies, curses, or evil. I always thought that it was nonsense that only 5 year olds believed in. For me, magic was a silly form of entertainment that made you gape with fake amazement at a carnival or magic show. Maybe it was the fact that I refused to believe that forced me into this mess in the first place, or maybe it was just destined to happen. But either way, I learned my lesson the hard way. It all began on my summer vacation to see my grandparents in Egypt when I was 13. As I got off the airplane, with my small blue suitcase in one hand and my computer bag in the other, I saw my grandparents in the distance and began to... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... My grandfather followed behind with my suitcase. The whole car ride grandmother chattered on and on about all of the great places we could go see, including a newly discovered pyramid and sphinx. After we pulled up to the small square house that my grandparents were renting, I headed up stairs to my room in the attic. I put my suitcase and computer bag on the floor and plopped into an old bean bag chair in the corner of the room. As I looked around the room, still crowded with unpacked boxes I saw an old box in the corner that seemed to glow with an eerie light. I heaved myself up off of the bean bag chair and opened the box. Inside were 2 orbs, 1 was a bright gold while the other was a metalic blue color. Carefully, I picked up both orb began to walk towards my bed, but on my way I tripped over my suit case and face planted on the floor. The orbs in my hands shattered. As I picked myself and began to collect the broken pieces of glass, I realized the glass was moving. The glass seemed to be melting forming 2 distinct shapes. In a few minutes 2 human figures had formed, one with golden hair and the other with metalic blue eyes. The people looked to be teenagers like me. The kid with metalic blue eyes took 1 glance at me, then at the girl next to her and took off. She jumped through the small window in the corner and disappeared through the busy streets. The other girl, with golden hair, chased ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 7. Essay The Teleological Argument William Paley and David Hume's argument over God's existence is known as the teleological argument, or the argument from design. Arguments from design are arguments concerning God or some type of creator's existence based on the ideas of order or purpose in universe. Hume takes on the approach of arguing against the argument of design, while Paley argues for it. Although Hume and Paley both provide very strong arguments, a conclusion will be drawn at the end to distinguish which philosophiser holds a stronger position. Throughout this essay I will be examining arguments with reference to their work from Paley's "The Watch and the Watchmaker" and Hume's "The Critique of theTeleological Argument". Paley's analogy came about from the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This means that one knows of God's existence through a posteriori knowledge (Paley, 1802, 196–197). For example, he makes a comparison between the universe to a watch, and God to watchmaker. Watches are made by watchmaker with prior experience with it, but we never truly experience it. This meaning that we ourselves are incapable of such craftsmanship and things that exhibits design has a designer and Paley claims that therefore the universe it must be the work of God (Paley, 1802, 197). His second argument for design he makes a comparison between machines and humans saying that both are equally complex and it was built with a purpose in mind. If changes are made to the watch such as taking away an internal component that makes it runs, or the minute or hour hand, its purpose would suddenly change and it would no longer be a watch. In his third argument about arguing from mind to design, he states that using the mind as a representation is only a small part of universe (Paley, 1802, 197). For example, a watch must have had a watchmaker because such a complex idea and mechanism could not have just come from nature. A creator with prior knowledge of the watch must have created it. Therefore, the universe must have had a creator. This creator was God. Lastly, his fourth argument assumes that things can be created by matter therefore if other things say otherwise it would be disregarded (Paley, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 8. The Fragility Of Life In Grace Paley's 'Samuel' This is my response to Grace Paley's short story titled "Samuel." Throughout the story, Paley uses language to generate a healthy dialogue about the fragility of life by comparing the thoughts and reactions of all the characters in the story leading up to and following Samuel's tragic death. The story conveys the story of four young boys and their adventure on a subway one day. The story chronicles the thoughts of the passengers on the train in New York City, and their actions leading up and following the unfortunate death of the main character Samuel. At the start of this story Paley tells the reader "Some boys are very tough. They're afraid of nothing." (Paley). By using words like brave and tough, Paley tells the reader what characteristics were ideal for the four boys featured in this story. She goes on to say, "They are the ones who climb a wall and take a bow at the top. Not only are they brave on the roof, but they create plenty of noise in the darkest part of the cellar where even the super hates to go. They also jiggle and hop on the platform between the locked doors of the subway cars." (Paley) Paley connects those two words to give the reader a vague idea of what Samuel and his friends view about death. Paley conveys that the boys were unaware that death was looming of them. Their goal in jumping on the subway car was to prove they were fearless. The boys' actions in the subway car show that their goal was to prove there that ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 9. William Paley's Views Of The Evidence Of Christianity William Paley I.Abstract: Born in Peterborough, England in July 1743, William Paley was a natural philosopher and wrote many books on Christianity. Before working his way through the ranks of the Anglican Church, Paley graduated first of his class from Christ's College in Cambridge in 1763, became a deacon in 1765, and was appointed assistant curate by a tutor of the college in 1766. He opposed slavery, advocated for prison reform, and was a utilitarian. He believed that "humans act morally to increase their overall level of happiness." Paley had eight children with his wife, Jane Hewitt – married in 1776. He was a very popular preacher publishing many lectures and books and is considered "one of England's most important theologians of his generation." William Paley died on May 25th, 1805 and is currently buried next to his wife in the Carlisle Cathedral. II.His Works:... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This book was even a required textbook for students to have at Cambridge up until the 20th century. Paley's lectures and books presented a utilitarian view of the world and tried proving that God was the reason for existence. Of his many works, his most famous one (and the last one before his death in 1805) is called Natural Theology; or, Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity, Collected from the Appearances of Nature (1802). In Natural Theology, Paley begins with a metaphor of God as a watchmaker. He argues that God can be understood by observing the natural world and the only conclusion in this metaphor is that the watch or 'design' must have had a maker or 'designer' (whom is ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 10. Essay about The Inadequacy of Paley's Argument from Design The Inadequacy of the Argument from Design William Paley's teleological argument (also known as the argument from design) is an attempt to prove the existence of god. This argument succeeds in proving that while existence was created by an aggregation of forces, to define these forces, as a conscious, rational, and ultimately godlike is dubious. Although the conclusions are valid, the argument makes several logical errors. Theteleological argument relies on inductive reasoning, rendering the argument itself valid, but unsound. The argument fails to apply its own line of reasoning to itself, resulting in infinite regression. Beyond the scope of its logical flaws, the arguments content lacks accurate comparisons. The argument hinges on a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Although this type of argument is practical at predicting patterns of re–occurring events, they are never legitimately sound. Consider the sunrise. It has risen every day for thousands of years on end. Therefore, it will rise tomorrow. Despite the odds of this happening being very high, there is not a one hundred percent chance that it will. Furthermore, consider the existence of the universe itself. Although the odds of life being created by a random amalgamation of forces are very low, the correct combination for life to exist only has to occur once. From that point forward, evolution and a reaction to external stimuli allows life to change naturally. The argument also indulges in an infinite regression. It assumes that a transcendent god created the entire universe. However, it fails to account for what created the god. As stated in the lecture slides, a committee of lesser beings may have created the god, but that begs the question about who created the committee. One could object to this idea and believe that god has always existed, transcending time and reality itself. Once again, however, this logic is just as applicable to the universe. The universe is as capable of existing forever as a god is. William Paley further begs the question in stating that because of perceived complexities in an entity, it must have been designed. This perceived relation between complexity and design is an inherently ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 11. The Design Argument Essay 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 on Helpwriting.net ... 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 theexistence 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 them ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 12. William Paley's Argument For The Existence Of God A design argument is more commonly know as a Teleological one, which is an argument for the existence of a creator or god "based on perceived evidence of deliberate design in the natural or physical world".The argument has been discussed all the way back to the time of Socrates and Plato. In my essay I will be evaluating one argument put forward by a famous philosopher, in this case William Paley, an English clergyman born in 1743, in which he tries to show similarities in the design of nature and the design of man made artefacts. William Paley's Theological argument for the existence of God raises quite a few questions from the offset of Paley's book Natural Theology. The first piece of evidence that he uses to argue his point is his analogy of him stumbling upon a stone in a field and wondering how it came to be there , Paley states that he could argue that it would be acceptable to believe that the stone had stayed there forever due to the fact he has no prior knowledge of how it came to be there. Paley shows us that we as humans take a lot of things for granted in our lives due to the fact that we have ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... would seem to suggest many gods are involved in universe making" this is an interesting point which does hurt Paley's analogy because he did believe in a benevolent God and the idea of any Gods helping each other to create the universe or even the possibility of multiple Gods would mean that there was no benevolent God because one could not create the world on its own. This is a very important question because it endangers Paley's argument and from reading the chapters on the design argument in paley'sI do not believe Paley takes in to account the possibility of more than one God existing and because of this I believe he ignores a serious way to disprove his own ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 13. Explain the Teleological Arguments for the Existence of... Explain the Teleological arguments The word teleological originates from the Greek 'telos' meaning end or purpose. It infers the existence of God from a particular aspect or character of the world, namely the presence of order, regularity and purpose, and thus, is most commonly known as the design argument; it postulates the idea of a designer for all that has been designed. As its name suggests, the teleological argument attempts to seek the ultimate end or purpose. Furthermore, the teleological argument holds the belief that this designer is the primary cause of such existences, and is therefore what Aristotle would believe to be the 'uncaused cause', the 'unmoved mover'. It is never assumed that this initial cause could be God, yet ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Thus, there must be a superior being, big enough to create a supreme artefact such as the universe. Finally, David Hume likened the world to 'one great machine subdivided into an infinite number of lesser machines'. This theory however leads to the philosophy that similar effects require a similar cause. Through the thrust of Hume's argument, he introduces us to two characters that express the argument for design; whilst a third, namely Philo, criticises the argument. Swinburne identifies the argument from design and the argument to design, also known as the anthropic argument. The former form usually involves analogy, and the latter, argues that nature provides for the needs of intelligent beings. This would however, require an extreme intelligence such as God. The heart of this argument is that non–intelligent material things produce beneficial order and therefore require an intelligent being to elicit this. Three features of the world particularly impressed eighteenth century thinkers; firstly the world as a whole, specifically the solar system as described by Newton's gravitational theory. Secondly, the bodily forms of all animals and plants, in particular organs such as the eye. Finally, the providential arrangement of things on earth amazed eighteenth century philosophers. This leads us back to the design argument for the pocket watch, an aspect that also impressed people at the time; it was a new invention and a clear sign of breakthrough in ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 14. Boston from 1850 to 1900 Essay Brandee Meyer Boston from 1850–1900 There was no time in Boston that was most emphasized, than the 1850's to 1900's. In the city of Boston there were a lot of changes that had occurred between the second half of the 19th century, not only with the city but also with the people living in Boston. Boston has always been changing and in transition. Boston had changed majorly from being the merchant city to the industrial metropolis. The population of people went up about Вѕ in 50 years of its physical change. When Boston was a merchant city in 1850, it was tightly packed and crowded, then once it because an industrial metropolis in 1900, it was a spread out to a 10–mile radius, containing 31 cities and towns. The metropolis was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... It was the same with the omnibus that was created in 1826, because it moved slowly and didn't hold many people. The steam railroad was another form of transportation that was introduced in 1835 and it was a better form of transportation because it moved quicker and could hold many more passengers, but it was also expensive and didn't always take the people to where they wanted to go because it didn't stop very often, and only went one route. There were land changes that occurred during the second half of the 19th century such as the South End and the Back Bay. The South End was almost entirely taken up by houses in 1880 and then went to the Back Bay that was almost completely taken up by houses in 1900. Only the rich could afford to live on these pieces of land, because they were so expensive. Street railways were created and they were the most aggressive expansion in the 19th century. From the 1880's to the 1890's street railways took up at least six miles from City Hall in Boston. The service of the first railway began in 1852. The first street railway in Boston would go between Harvard Square, Cambridge, Summerville, and Union Square. The increase in the street railway brought excitement for the entrepreneur's as well in other cities in America. Eventually the street railways replaced the omnibus's that were already running ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 15. Essay on Why the Design Argument Fails Why the Design Argument Fails The Design Argument does fail due to its weaknesses, it is lacking in factual and substantial evidence to prove its theories. It puts forward a lot of ideas and claims however they are not justified well enough; the only true fact is that you have to believe them. I feel it is correct to claim that it fails due to the amount of criticising evidence against the theories for the existence of God. The main philosopher to criticise and object to the Teleogical Argument wasDavid Hume. He looked at every point towards the existence towards a creator and designer and then thought logically about the condemnation and came up with rebuttals. He realised that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He then compares a watch against a floating vegetable. "A clock to a large organic mass is not possible to compare. It would be better to compare it to an immense floating object." He is stating how absurd it is that a small simple item could be linked to such a powerful designer. You cannot link a watch towards something, which is a far more superior, and multitasking being. Like many of these assumptions they are lacking concrete evidence to prove it, it is just a theory and therefore weakens the argument towards the existence of a creator. Another protestation, which Hume makes, is the difference between the world at present and the world at birth. He asks how we can link what was then from what we see now, the time difference is too great and too big of an assumption. When we link the dinosaurs and try to analysis their life and habits we can only learn from what we have. Then we tend to assume what time period they lived and who hunted whom. Once again there is no real evidence to prove where or when they existed and this is just like the creator theories. We assume and try to link things together from what we have without looking at all the evidence and waiting for 100% accurate facts. So we just predict and say it is the way forward. However this is incorrect and therefore false to state this. Yet many Philopshers tend to say that it is ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 16. God Is Our Benevolent Creator Paley's Natural Theology argues that in order for something to exist, there has to be a creator. A well –known passage from his book includes someone noticing a watch on the ground and anyone would assume that the watch was made by someone else. He connects this to the creation of life and everything we know, to God's creations. That God made humans and everything else in this world, maybe as explained in the Biblical text of Genesis. According to Paley, God is our benevolent creator, but what if everything existed before hand and God had nothing to do with it? It is hard to tell what is true, following Paley and Christianity or the idea of true science and evolution. "In Paley's time, Natural Theology was an established field of study, though it is now either neglected or known under another name. It can be defined as 'the branch of philosophy and theology which attempts to prove God's existence, define God's attributes, or derive correct doctrine based solely from human reason and/or observations of the natural world.' If classical theology is concerned with a study of the scriptures, then natural theology is the attempt to derive theological ideas from nature, without reference to scripture." (Hovind) Where Paley falls short is that he does not pull from Christian scriptures. His theory comes solely from nature itself. Before the traveler of his watchmaker theory story, State of the Argument in Natural Theology, comes across the watch, he first sees a rock. For all he ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 17. The Teleological Argument for God's Existence Essay The Teleological Argument for God's Existence The teleological argument is also known as the argument from design. 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. William Paley put forward perhaps the most famous version of this with the watchmaker argument. Imagine you live on a desolate desert island and one day you come across a watch. By looking at it and examining, the intricate and complicated mechanisms you would conclude that it was designed by an intelligent designer. A watch could not happen by chance. Lets apply that logic to things in our own universe. The mechanics of our hands are very ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Some argue the earth could not happen by chance. The probability of the 'Big Bang' creating a 'perfect world' is minuscule, 1 in a million. However, if we think of all the planets in our universes that are not sustaining life then it does not seem so improbable. Back to this 'perfect watch', its not perfect. It does not automatically adjust the time when the clocks go forward. Instead it spitefully ticks away knowing that you will be late for work. Alternatively, does it remember leap years? Does it give you an apology? No because it is a mean and uncaring watch. Our world is much like this watch, its imperfect. It is rude and selfish. People are staving and we are sitting here stuffing our faces. Our amazing hands are not so amazing after all, they wear out, muscles and bones break. Surely, an intelligent designer would design us with out these faults. It is not just us with these faults. Meteorites crash into planets, the sun will one day plunge us into darkness if its heat has not dried us out and we could be sucked into a black hole. You could say 'nobodies perfect', but God, by definition, is a perfect being. If God created the universe, it would have to be perfect. David Hume believes that the universe does not have to be created by a perfect being merely an intelligent one. The idea that God sat down and designed then made organisms like
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  • 19. Life of Workers in Staithes Essay Close by the giant textile mill row on row on row of drab terrace houses huddle together as if to fend off the bitter cold of a winter night in December of 1811. Night obscures the narrow streets of the industrial village of Holmeside as morning's hesitant light pokes through the canopy of dismal clouds. Inside the mill, workers have been toiling for hours. They rose from their beds early and put on their work clothing. The lucky ones ate a crust of bread and drank the remains of yesterday's milk before stepping out into the chilly darkness to make their way to the mill. They carried the smallest children. Older children plodded along sleepily as if newly raised from the dead and not yet accustomed to walking. The eldest child is the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... All that is human is troubled by their failure to benefit except by Death's summons. The portal of the grave is their only means of escape. Some said the disadvantages of the poor were their own making. Many believed that the working poor were not fully human, but a bestial and inferior species, unlike themselves, specifically supplied by Providence as servants through whose labour they ran profitable enterprises. The poor were seen as a raw material in the same class as wool and cotton. They were cheap to employ and easy to replace. Those that looked down on workers failed to see that working conditions in textile mills were why workers were afflicted with conditions for which no treatment existed. These early morning people move in procession through the streets, uniting with others at street junctions to form broader streams, merging with other streams as they neared the mill to form a grand current of humanity closing on the massive iron gates of the mill that were symbols of imprisonment. Once inside the gates, workers fanned out to go to various work stations to work as machine minders in the manufactory. This was the common condition of men, women, and children in the hard textile country of Yorkshire's West Riding. The characters of Yorkshire folk were forged in the crucibles of harsh terrain and exacting industrial environments. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 20. Essay on The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter Reflection On: The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter By Vivian Gussin Paley (In the book, The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter, Vivian Gussin Paley discusses her experiences in her preschool classroom with Jason, a boy who tends to isolate himself, and offers solutions on how other educators can help students become well–adjusted and active learners.) – not sure to mention this.. I think this book gives us the opportunity to reflect on our roles in our students' lives, as a general classroom teacher and how we can best help our students develop into active learners and well–adjusted adults. Paley also made us think about how children's story and classroom community play a significant role in helping children learn about themselves and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In this storytelling process, Jason and his classmates actively engage in making their own stories and extend them with their classmates. Jason's classmates made a lot of effort to incorporate Jason and his helicopter in their shared story. I believe it is noteworthy to recognize how Paley is able to shift the main focus in the classroom from the student–teacher relationship to the student–student relationship. We found Paley's view on conflict–resolution very interesting. She states: "Problems are not meant to be solved. They are ours to practice on, to explore the possibility with, to help us study cause and effect. Important issues can't be solved with one grand plan...Some are worked at for a lifetime, returning in different disguise, requiring fresh insights" (p. 80) For children, play can be a powerful medium in which to practice their problems and to freely enjoy the process of reaching a solution Another strategy we found useful was Paley's use of make–believe when dealing with misbehavior in her classroom. She does not view misbehavior as bad, or something to be punished, rather, she maintains that these behaviors are misreadings of a script–in–progress, something that is in need of reworking. This means that each student can feel free to experience the trials and errors of their ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 21. What Is Paley's Design Argument This is the second argument about God's existence. Perhaps the most popular variant owed to this this argument is William Paley's argument concerning the watch. Essentially, this argument states that after observing a watch, together with its intricate parts, which function together as a unit in an accurate manner to keep time, anybody must realize that such piece of machinery has its creator, as it is too complicated to have easily come into presence through other means, like evolution (Ratzsch, 2005). The following is a skeleton of this argument: Human artifacts are items resulting from intelligent design and such artifacts have an aim. Universes appear like these human artifacts. Hence: it is likely that the universe is an outcome of intelligent design and has an aim. However, the universe is both gigantic and complex than an artifact made by a human. Therefore, there is likelihood that a powerful and a vastly intelligent designer created the universe.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Artifacts like watches are the items of intelligent design and so, organisms are also things of intelligent design. Hume stated that things that can be compared to arguments are few. He noted that watches are not identical to living things and hence deduced that Paley's argument is extremely feeble. This is another kind of criticism in which Hume fails. This is because the local design argument of Paley is good comprehended not as an analogical argument but rather as adductive argument (which is the best explained argument). Thus, it must not be examined on the basis of similarity of watches (analog) to living organisms (the target), but rather by the way of surprise principle. Surprise principle states that design hypothesis is good warranted as compared to Random Hypothesis. This allegation is not impacted by the fact that the organisms are different to other things. Thus Hume's criticism misses the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 22. Summary Of The Watchmaker Argument By William Paley "The Watchmaker Argument" by William Paley has been of great controversy because of its analogy between the creation of a watch and the creation of the universe. Paley's argument consists of the idea of there being a creator for everything, he uses the complicated composition of a watch as to prove that there has to be a watchmaker and therefore the complicated composition of the universe serves as to prove that there is in fact a Universe creator (God). Although Paley's argument is strong and valid, David Hume's opposing argument is more valid due to the premises he uses. Hume argues that it is impossible to compare something created by the human mind to something as complex as the universe simply because there is a lot about the creation of the universe that is unknown, unlike the creation of a house (or watch). William Paley uses the invention of a watch as an analogy to the invention of the universe. He argues that if we observe the very complicated and detailed design of the universe we can see that there was in fact a maker. Paley argues that the complicated structure of a watch is enough prove that there was a watch maker just like the complicated structure of the universe is prove enough to show that there is universe maker. He also shows that the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He states that "It is not necessary that a machine be perfect, in order to shew with what design it was made: still less necessary, where the only question is, whether it were made with any design at all." (Paley 5). Paley's argument here is whether or not the perfection of a watch (universe) shows the design in which it was, he argues that this is not a relevant factor as to whether or not there is a creator for it and whether or not this was made with any design at ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 23. The Design Argument for the Existence of God Essay The Design Argument for the Existence of God While theology may take God's 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 pattern. The argument says that things in the world move towards goals, just as the arrow does not move toward its goal except by the archer's directing it. Consequently there must be an intelligent designer who directs all things to their... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Many components of nature appear to be very finely tuned for this, and the odds against this happening by chance are astronomical. Criticisms against these are the principles of self–organisation and evolution which provide complete explanations for apparent design and the odds against all possible universes are equally astronomical, yet one of them must be the actual universe. b, The idea that God exists and that he is the architect to serve the purpose that the universe is designed proves subjective. Different observations in the natural world can produce different theories to account for their existence. Also, the proof is built on analogy, thus if we find there are things in the universe that are disordered, then by analogy, the would imply there is no designer. Another thing wrong with the argument is that it is not obvious that the universe or living things are intelligently designed. Science, such as physics and biology, can prove that not everything that has a design is intelligently designed: "There cannot be design without a designer; contrivance without a contriver ... The marks of design are too strong to be got over. Design must have had a designer. That designer must have been a person. That person is GOD" (Paley). This seems logical because objects, such as a watch or a computer, have a design and therefore somebody had to design it. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 24. William Paley And David Hume Intelligent by Design Written by Alexander Staggs–Vargas One of the most prominent philosophical arguments that remains today is the debate on the existence of God or an Intelligent Designer. This debate dates back a time of many Gods and deities during the era of Socrates, Plato and their students, including Aristotle. This discussion will focus on the differing works of authors William Paley and David Hume and I will argue that there is an Intelligent Designer for our universe. William Paley believes in the existence of God and that through his watchmaker analogy in "Natural Theology" he can prove that there is an Intelligent Designer. David Hume addresses William Paley's argument in "Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion" and argues Paley's analogy is weak since Hume believes we cannot analogize earthly things from things we cannot understand. In this paper, I will address these teleological arguments. To begin, we need to understand Paley's teleological argument that we are products of an Intelligent Designer. He argues that: "1) Human artifacts are products of intelligent design and we have a purpose; 2) The universe resembles these human artifacts; 3) Due to the similarities, it is probable that the universe is also a product of intelligent design; 4) However, the universe is vastly more complex and gigantic than a human artifact; and, 5) Therefore, it is most logical that a powerful and vastly intelligent designer created the universe." Paley's teleological ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 25. Persuasive Essay : Paley 's Argument From Design PH 101–01 Instructor: Jason Smith Student: Donna Delva 6/16/17 Critically evaluate Paley's argument from design. What kind of argument is it? How does it work? What does it aim to show? Does Paley succeed? Why or Why not? While theology may take God 's existence as necessary on the basis of faith, or discovery, many philosophers have thought it's possible to prove by reason that there must be a God. The teleological argument, also known as the argument from design simply states that a designer must exist since the universe and living things display elements of design in their order, consistency, unity and pattern. It is based on observations of the order in the universe and the natural world, to conclude that it is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Some general comments on the effect–cause relationship in the argument from design I will described below: To argue from design is to argue from order to an end found in some thing or in a group of things to a cause capable of explaining that order. We observe that the parts of the eye work together so that we can see, and we wonder what is responsible for this order. We know that in the case of an artifact, the order of the parts in it to an end depends on there being an agent capable of planning it. To plan is to figure out appropriate means to achieve an end which one has fixed upon. A plan for a toaster would involve heating elements, a place to put the bread, and controls. Ideally, in addition to this plan, however, one would also have another sort of plan, namely, directions for how to realize the desired arrangement (as we all know from having tried to assemble something without reading the directions). In addition to plans, there must, of course, also be an agent with the power to realize them. The need for both planning and power to execute is sometimes overlooked: People sometimes mistakenly think that if one can identify efficient causes which realize order in the effect then there is no need to bring in a planner. This description of how order to an end comes about in a thing that sounds sensible, but when one tries to apply it to the origin of living things the alternative explanation of chance presents itself. The
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  • 27. Essay on Samuel by Grace Paley Francis1 Samuel lessons learned The story "Samuel" by Grace Paley takes place on a moving subway headed towards the Bronx. The passengers introduce Samuel and friends as tough little boys that are not afraid of anything. "The boys are just being boys" is also used. Many of the passengers had opportunities to tell them to calm down or even to tell them to stop. This could of have prevented the death of Samuel. Some men relive their childhood through the boy's and many of the ladies shaking their head with disapproval. A woman passenger does approach the boys only to be laughed at when she warns them about their behavior. As another onlooker thinks he is doing them a favor by pulling the emergency cord. The end result is the death... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In the end, Samuel dies a tragic death. The cord puller action did more harm than helping the situation. A tone is the way the author conveys his or her unstated attitudes toward the story. The tone from the beginning to the end of Samuel is a serious tone. "Some boys are very tough. They're afraid of nothing. The description Paley gives in the first two sentences makes you feel that the tone is going to be serious. Another example can be when the ladies in subway car become angry when they look at the boys. "Most of them brought their brows together and hoped the boys could see their disapproval". They convey the serious tone through the way they feel through facial expressions. Thoughts of one of the women passenger's shows a mothers concern when she attempts to confront the boys. "One of the ladies wanted to get up and say, be careful you dumb kids, get off the platform or I'll call the cop." The tone makes the situation serious tone even if it was thought and not an action. In another paragraph her action show the seriousness of the situation when thinks of her own child. "She stood up with determination and went to the door. Her action tells us that tone was not to be taken lightly and it was a serious matter. Foreshadowing is to show or indicate an action to be coming. Although the story is centered around Samuel, it is actually told by the passengers who witness the turn of events of Samuel and his friends Alfred, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 28. William Paley: The Indicator Of The Existence Of God Introduction Natural theology refers to truths known about God when reflecting on nature, environment and living organisms in the world. William Paley was born in seventeen forty–three, and he got ordained as an Anglican priest in the year seventeen sixty–seven–a year later he became a professor of theology at Cambridge University. He believes that the design of creation in living things stands as a prime indicator of the existence of God in our society. Paley argues that in the perfection or imperfection of nature and machines are attributed to a creator and the capability to reproduce is as a result of a supreme being. In the case study that illustrates his belief he asks the reader to imagine a scenario; when crossing a heath, you come across a watch on the ground. To this effect one observes that all its parts have been designed to achieve the desired purpose of measuringtime; an intellect would not think its existence is by chance but the work of a talented artisan. The state of the argument ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Paley comes to a conclusion due to the incapability of the watch to reproduce; he places living things which he regards as nature greater than earthly inanimate objects. He further states that comparing the working of tools and instruments in this time they can be a comparison that argues that nature and machines work or are designed in the same way to achieve the desired purpose. The watch as the basis of his argument; he explains, when on comes across a rock, and a question is posed how did this rock come into being; appropriately one could say it had been there since the beginning of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 29. Racial Barriers in Grace Paley's Short Story Samuel Essay Racial Barriers in Grace Paley's Short Story Samuel It is hard to distinguish the difference between which race is more important. One might ask themselves if white is superior over colored skin. There have been numerous struggles and much success in the fight towards equality between the races. Although many large steps have been made, there are still existing racial barriers. One particular struggle is whether or not people of different races should interact with each other. Should Caucasian adults interact with young children of color? A question that becomes especially critical when children are putting themselves in potentially dangerous situations. This moral debate is portrayed in Grace Paley's short story, "Samuel." ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In the short story, "Two men and others looked at the four boys jumping and jiggling on the platform and thought, It must be fun to ride that way" (191). Men normally have influence to control dangerous situations and instead of using this power to persuade the boys to come into a safe place, they allow the children to continue to endanger their lives. The women on the train " became very angry when they look at the four boys. Most of them brought their brows together hoping the boys would see their extreme disapproval" (191). In the story, one woman in the subway car saw that "three of the boys were Negroes and the fourth was something else she couldn't tell for sure. She was afraid that they would be fresh and laugh at her and embarrass her" (191). It seems that the women are scared of even confronting the barrier that separates her from the children. The racial wall is so intimidating to the women that all they could do is sit and watch the young boys in fear of their safety. As time passed, the racial begun to slowly deteriorate. Sometimes, motherly instincts will overcome anything, and in this case it is to persuade the women to stand up to the children. "The lady who was afraid of embarrassment saw the boys jerk forward and backwards and grab the swinging guard chains...She stood up with determination and went to the door" (191). Allowing her maternal ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 30. Teleological Argument Strengths Strengths and Weaknesses of the Teleological Argument Also known as the argument from design, the teleological argument simply states that a designer must exist considering that life in the universe can only occur when it meets the right conditions of "certain fundamental physical constants that are within a very narrow range", according to InspiringPhilosophy. They also exhibit marks of pattern, consistency, unity and order in their design. In the Watchmaker Argument by William Paley, he stated that human artifacts are products ofintelligent design. The universe looks like human artifacts. Ergo, the universe is a product of intelligent design. But because of its complexity and gigantic size, when compared to human artifacts, it is probably ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Supported by inductive reasoning Teleological argument offers natural and revealed theology. There are evidence that we can observe, making it difficult to deny the presence of complexity and order in the universe. There is apparent design in the different parts that come together to form the whole, such as the heart, brain, eyes and other parts that make up the body. 2.Simple and straightforward The use of analogy makes teleological argument comprehensible, allowing us to move from something within experience and try to explain something beyond experience, such as the creation of the universe. It also doesn't rely on fixed definitions that everyone must accept, but begins with experience that may be universal or at least testable. 3.Consistent with the scriptures "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. This verse from the first chapter of the book of Romans is further reinforced by the statement that we are made in God's image. This makes the argument a scientific theory that can actually be assessed. So this makes it a posteriori and inductive ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 31. Essay on The Argument from Design, by William Paley During the 1800th century, William Paley, an English philosopher of religion and ethics, wrote the essay The Argument from Design. In The Argument from Design, Paley tries to prove the existence of a supreme being through the development of a special kind of argument known as the teleological argument. The teleological argument is argument by analogy, an argument based on the similarities between two different subjects. This essay purposefully attempts to break down Paley's argument and does so in the following manner: firstly, Paley's basis for the teleological argument is introduced; secondly, Paley's argument is derived and analyzed; thirdly, the connection between Paley's argument and the existence of a supreme being is made; and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Having introduced Paley's main a posteriori experience, the following paragraphs will describe and justify Paley's reasoning for using such argument to describe the existence of a superior being. Firstly, Paley concentrates in the process leading to the creation of the watch. The process for creating a watch is very systematic and involves knowledge of mechanical engineering, a trade known to few men. Yet, it is not necessary to know the inner workings of the watch to use it on a daily basis: it is only necessary to understand the relationship between the position of the watch's hands to the sunrise and sunset of day. Paley concludes that even though he could not create a watch, some supreme being could create such watch. In other words, anything that shows evidence of creation has a creator and such creator exists or has existed at one point in time. To further refine the previous conclusion, Paley acknowledges the imprecision of the watch, for the watch is not always correct in predicting time. The watch might get ahead or behind, but the overall purpose for which the watch was created remains intact: it might predict the wrong time, note however, that it still predicts time. The conclusion in the previous paragraph is not contradicted by any of the watch's faults simply because the being's purpose for creating the watch still exists. Therefore, Paley's supreme being not only creates but also does so with a specific purpose. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 32. William Paley's Argument From Design Argument from Design In the Argument from Design article by William Paley, he begins the argument by describing the mechanisms of a watch. These parts all combine in a certain way to make the watch work, or even exist. If these parts were not combined in the exact order, the watch would not do anything profound. Paley further describes how an observer could conceive the watch in the mind. He would then reflect, in some sense, how the watch was made independently. It was not brought into existence by other watches, but only by a creator combining different items together. There is the idea of metallic nature, but assuming a law also assumes a lawgiver. Therefore, there must be some sort of creator of the watch, even though the creator is unknown. This same concept could be applied to the universe, stating that there must be a creator that made these elaborate... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Even if people were unaware of the person who made the watch, ignorance is not an excuse for not giving credit to the artist. An objection to his argument is that some of the parts seem to have no function, so they were not designed. Paley states there may be a function of these parts that we are unable to see or understand. The design is evident from examining the rest of the watch. The machine does not have to be perfect in order to understand the artist's design of the mechanism. For example, a blueprint of a machine can show you the idea and purpose of the final results, even though all the parts on the blueprint are not specifically described on why it exists. The design could not be a fault of chance due to its complexity. The observer of the watch cannot be driven out of his conclusion, even though he may know ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 33. Evaluating Paley's Design Argument Ultimately, Paley's argument uses an inductive argument to suggest that all things with properties of intelligence and complexity must have an intelligent designer who designs them for a specific purpose. When evaluating Paley's design argument, it is evident that it has its flaws. From the inductive argument presented, objections can be made in the first premise by claiming that not all processes have a clear purpose. For instance, when natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes occur, what purpose do they serve exactly, and why would God's work include such disaster? In fact, that leads us to ask why the universe would be designed with such imperfections? It is these types of questions that David Hume utilizes to undermine the design... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The dilemma theists are presented with is that if the world has imperfections due to the evil that exists, which serves no clear purpose, then God, the designer of the world, therefore must be imperfect. But this is not the image that is to be perceived of God if he were to exist. Instead, God, in the human mind, would only exist if he was a perfect being. Without the characteristic of a perfect being, one is able to claim that God does not exist as the designer of the world. However, the main criticism that Hume proposes is to not claim that it is impossible for God not to exist as a perfect being but rather our lack of experience in the creation of the world cannot allow us to claim that God is perfect. Because the design argument is an empirical argument for the existence of God, our experiences with the world, including those that involve evil, cannot allow us to possibly ignore the fact that God may not be a perfect being. If this this case, then God's image ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 34. Paley's Argument For Intelligent Design Paley's Argument For Intelligent Design and Its Criticisms Paley's teleological argument defends the idea of the existence of god through the idea of consistent and orderly design. Paley uses an example of finding a rock on the ground and then finding a watch. He argues that finding the watch, with all of its perfectly fit working parts, suggests an intelligent creator.In his argument, the watch is employed as an analogy for the universe. He states that the universe and all of its working complexities points to the existence of an intelligent creator. There are several alternant and contradicting beliefs to Paley's assertions. Some call into question the validity of the analogy itself. Others say it is an incredibly far jump to assert the existence of a god through the universe since the universe and its workings are so undiscovered by humanity. Paley addresses many of these alternant arguments in his essay. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This the argument was in reference to the analogy that the watch was the same as the universe. Some came to the conclusion that since it was an unseen event which created the universe, one cannot and should not make a conclusive statement about its origin. Paley attempts to debunk this argument by stating that regardless of the fact that the actual physical making of the universe was not witnessed, there is still a physical universe that is evidence for its origin. He says that there should be no doubt of the universes artist because his existence is easily inferred through the complexity of the universes ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 35. Philosophy Of Religion : Critically Evaluating The... Philosophy of Religion Critically evaluating the Argument from Design C3182916, Paul Sater, University of Newcastle Callaghan Essay one The Argument from design or also known as the Teleological argument (Telos: Purpose, Teleology: Study of something's purpose or design) is endowed on the assumption of a God or creator which has intelligently and elegantly designed the universe to such intricate and fine detail. In which argues that something so immaculately designed for example the structural complexity and delegacy of the eye, can only be as a direct result of an intelligent designer or (God). The argument from design is a collection of empirical and inductive arguments that identify characteristics found in natural objects and infer God as the cause. The Argument from design is analogous in nature and can be envisioned through key philosopher William Paley (1743–1809). With his argument of intelligent design acknowledged as the "classical" statement in coupled with his natural theology (1802). Additionally we will explore other forms of the argument from design in a more contemporary version. These consist of Hugh Ross' Fine–tuning of the universe in reference to his published book The Creator and the Cosmos (1999), and the explanation of how the theory of evolution by natural selection attempts to account for the rise in complex organisms and natural structures without inferring to the concept of an intelligent designer. Lastly, exploring a critical discussion of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 36. The Argument Of Creation Vs. Evolution The argument of Creation vs. Evolution has been debated for quite sometime. Since Darwin's theory of Evolution by Natural Selection was published, some of those that thought the world and its inhabitants was made by a creator now began to think differently. Evolution began to make sense, there was evidence of certain types of species evolving (as in the finches in the galapogos islands as observed by Darwin) however, with creationism there was no evidence, it was all based on faith. Although Darwin's theory stands at the forefront for the belief in Evolution especially for those that tend to lean towards this side of the argument, there have been and still is many who support the argument of Design or what is referred to as the teleological argument. Philosophers such as St. Thomas Aquinas andWilliam Paley wrote about the belief in there being a creator in their famous works. David Hume, William Derham and Richard Bentley to name a few also wrote about intelligent design. I believe in Creationism. I believe that the universe and everything in it came into existence because of a higher intelligence and not solely from a primordial soup and if in fact everything did start out as a soup, all the ingredients for this soup was put together by the head chef. In researching this topic, I believe that creationism and evolution (micro–evolution) can co–exist without one absolutely refuting the other. I believe this designer created existence in such a way that evolution is ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 37. Comparing Aquinas, And Paley's Natural Theology A watch embodies all appearances of intelligent design. It has purpose, a certain disposition or instruction. It is a complex object; all parts are needed for it to fulfil its purpose and we could not substitute any of these parts. It is made of a specific set of materials; we do not find smelted gold or blown glass naturally occurring in nature. The watch also has a regular motion. All these properties and dispositions a watch personifies show it is a creation and not just a naturally occurring object. The same is said about the human eye through analogy. This is the reasonWilliam Paley chose to use the watch as well as the human eye to highlight his argument for design in his work Natural Theology, (1802). The teleological argument he puts forth is one we can know empirically through observation. It is not the purpose of the argument to fully convince us that the argument is correct in every way. The purpose is to offer the audience a logical and suggestible conclusion. However the argument... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He argues that what we see within nature always acts towards an end. He goes on to explain things in nature "achieve their end, not fortuitously but designedly" Although the end things achieve may not be seen as purpose it can be a cause for acting in a certain way. This is where the idea of creating objects to fulfill purposes becomes blurred. A reasonable comparison would be to fill up a glass with water and then have the water amazed at the fact the glass has been made to fit it perfectly, when in fact it could be no other way. This is an example of a weak anthropic argument. If such a thing as the universe was different in any of way we would not be around to know about it. We are left to inhabit the only known universe able to exist. Maybe it is the human race which has adapted for the universe, not the other way around, as the human eye has been finely tuned for ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 38. Analysis Of Paley's Teleological Argument The Teleological Argument is concerned with reason as to why the world functions in a orderly manner is 'orderly the same as 'apparently purposeful'? What's the difference? The argument is an a posteriori argument which begins with looking at the natural world and Paley uses his watch analogy to attempt to prove the existence of God. There are two aspects to Paley's argument – regularity and purpose. I think it's worth setting the scene with mention of both. Good to use technical vocabulary such as 'a posteriori' meaning 'from observation'. Tactically this essay is launching well – many students mistakenly believe you need a summation of who Paley was – which is a waste of time. The first way that Paley tries to argue for the existence of God is the argument qua purpose. If we saw a stone that laid on the ground, we may assume that it it had laid there forever and not had been crafted for a specific purpose. However, in... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Paley further develops his argument by comparing an aspect of the natural world such as an eye, with that of something which has been constructed and assembled by a designer, like a telescope. They are very similar in the fact the the lens of telescope and eye are similar with regards to position, power over rays of light and resemblance and that they are both set up in order to achieve a certain purpose, to produce a clear physical image of objects. From this we can conclude the human eye show's no apostrophe as this is a verb not a genitive a great deal of complexity and it's no apostrophe again as that is only used for 'it is' parts work together like that of the telescope, so just like the telescope has b een designed and ordered in way to make it function, the eye has also been too, by a designer, which Paley argues is ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 39. Does God Exist? Every culture has its God. Christianity and Islam have their own god; the Romans and Greeks had their Pantheon. A lot of people believe in god have thought that there is more to life the material world around us. It seems arises naturally the world over by believing in god. Does God exist? I believe in God is exists by the philosophical argument: ontological argument, the first cause argument, the argument form design, and the moral argument. Arguments relate to theexistence of God are in different forms: some focus on history, some on personal experience, some on philosophy, and some on science. These arguments are the purported proof of the existence of God. If successfully, each argument supports a specific and certain conception of God. Argument I: The design argument for the existence of God. The argument from design is the teleological argument that focuses on the fact that the universe is ordered. The complex world and order of nature must be designed by some mind. The mind is God. The key theme of design argument is that God must exist though the way things work, and God as an intelligent designer who makes the world be the way it is. God exists from the way things in nature are ordered and their apparent purpose. Everything appears to have a purpose by happened randomly. Therefore, God design and order the world by particular way. Anthropic Principle is one of the main elements for the design argument. This principle considers the universe is ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 40. The Teleological Argument For The Existence Of Intelligent... The 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, there must have been a designer who implemented these specific details in order to create a fully functioning and sustainable universe. These details have been found from a biological perspective, as well as from a cosmological scale. The teleological argument is commonly used to provide evidence for the existence of the theistic God, or at least an intelligent designer. In contrast, those who are against the teleological argument generally believe that the universe is a result of an accidental explosion. Although there are many theories that use the teleological argument to provide strong support for intelligent design, there are also well–developed theories that oppose the teleological argument. A philosopher who presents several contradicting arguments to the teleological argument is David Hume. In his writing, The Dialogue Concerning Natural Religion, he presents his critique of the teleological argument and expresses his opposition through the fictional character Philo. In one of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 41. The Open Destiny of Life The Open Destiny of Life In the short story "A Conversation with My Father," written by Grace Paley, there are two stories intertwined. The main story is about a visit between a middle–aged woman and her elderly, bedridden father. It is during this visit that the two of them discuss fiction and give their opinion towardstragedy in literature and in life. The second is a story that the daughter creates for her father at his request. She proceeds to tell him a story about a mother who, in order to be closer to her drug–addicted son, decides to experiment with the same drug and becomes a drug–addict herself, only to be deserted by the son when he rises above his dependency. Building on her relationship with her own father, Paley... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Finally, it is obvious that these two stories mirror each other in the sense that they are about tenuous but essential connections between parents and their children. The daughter abhors the kind of story her father wants because it is limiting. He, meanwhile, rejects her tale because he sees in it her inability to face tragic realities of fiction and life, including his impending death. Their different attitudes towards the possibility of opportunities and change, fictional or real, stem from their different world views and experiences. She went to college, but dropped out to become a writer, hoping to win his affection. He loves her, but does not approve of her dropping out of school, her writing style, or her views on life. In the narrative she creates for him, the father she would rather have surfaces as the mother who uses drugs as a means of being closer to be her son. One wonders what his perfect daughter would have been like, had he written the tale. Would he have wanted her to be more like him? Would he have preferred her to be inferior? Would everything have been different? . . . maybe. Throughout the story, two reoccurring themes are experience and opportunity. The narrator believes that fiction should reflect the opportunities of life not available to previous generations. In comparison, her father prefers the works of authors with whom he can relate, the kind of writers who spoke of a ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 42. Teleological Argument for the Existence of God Essay This paper will examine the argument put forward by William Paley in 1802, in his Natural Theology. Paley offers an argument from design that purports to show a clear and distinct reason why one should hold a belief in God, due to the inherent features of the world. It is attempted in this paper to firstly: show that the argument should be rejected on the grounds of lacking a rationally flowing set of premises and conclusions; and secondly: that the criticisms made by David Hume concerning the argument hold more weight than is generally granted by other philosophers, and should have convinced one even before the advent of Darwinian theory. Added to this, it will be considered as to whether or not Darwin actually did destroy... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Roughly speaking, teleological arguments are those that appeal to the special features, or aspects, of the world that appear to be designed and purposive, analogous to the cases of human design. For example, one might consider complex biological systems such as eyes, digestive or reproductive structures, and so on. They are usually put probabilistically, arguing that the most plausible explanation is that of a world designer and creator –– one with intelligence and purposes. It is not clear that Paley's argument was intended to be just so, but more on this at a later stage. Paley's argument is quite simple in essence and is presented in a somewhat poetic and rather imaginative way. Paley first imagines what sort of thoughts one would have stumbling across a rock. He concludes that no–one should be surprised at the presence of the rock, and that it hardly requires a specific explanation: it would be quite plausible to assume that the rock just was, and had always been. The discovery of the rock is then compared to the finding of a watch. Paley claims that one should immediately recognise it as the work of an intelligent designer, even if one had never seen a watch before. He makes the claim that by the watch's very intrinsic make–up it could clearly be concluded the intentional construction of an intelligent designer: the various ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...