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P1254156816LKbHQ
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The 'Design Argument' (like the Cosmological Arguments and ... attempt to establish that a supernatural being (God) is the only way to explain what we observe. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation
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Title: P1254156816LKbHQ
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fig. 2 Eating Five Batteries
fig. 1 Eating One Battery
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The Design Argument
- The "Design Argument (like the Cosmological
Arguments and unlike the Ontological Argument)
draws on observations about the world. - Further, the "Design Argument is similar to
Leibnizs version of the Cosmological argument in
that both arguments attempt to establish that a
supernatural being (God) is the only way to
explain what we observe.
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The Design Argument
- But remember,Cosmological Argument begins with a
very general observation (namely, that the
universe exists). - The Design Argument, in contrast, draws on
specific observations about the world.
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Complex Harmony
- The Design Argument begins by observing specific
examples of complex harmony in the universe - Biological examples.
- Cosmological examples.
- These examples cry out for an explanation.
- And as you might expect, the proponent of the
Design Argument claims that the best explanation
for these example involves God.
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The Official Design Argument
- 1. It is reasonable to believe whatever provides
the best explanation of some range of
observations. - 2. We observe complex harmony in the universe.
- 3. The best explanation of the complex harmony
we find in the universe is that the universe was
designed. - --------------------------------------------------
--------- - C. It is reasonable to believe that the universe
was designed.
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Premise 3
- Premise 3 is the crucial (and most questionable)
premise of the argument. This premise states that
the "complex harmony" that we find in the
universe is best explained by the existence of
some designer. - This premise is usually supported by some form of
the Watch Analogy.
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Arguments by Analogy
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Arguments by Analogy
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Arguments by Analogy
- 1. The controversial case is analogous to the
uncontroversial case. - 2. X is true of the uncontroversial case.
- --------------------------------------------------
---------- - C. So, by analogy, X is true of the
controversial case as well
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The Watch Analogy
- 1. The complex harmony we find in the universe is
analogous to the complex harmony we find in a
complicated watch. - 2. The best explanation of the complex harmony we
find in a watch is that the watch was designed. - --------------------------------------------------
--------- - C. The best explanation of the complex harmony we
find in the universe is that the universe was
designed.
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The Official Design Argument
- 1. It is reasonable to believe whatever provides
the best explanation of some range of
observations. - 2. We observe complex harmony in the universe.
- 3. The best explanation of the complex harmony
we find in the universe is that the universe was
designed. - --------------------------------------------------
--------- - C. It is reasonable to believe that the universe
was designed.
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Objections to the Design Argument
- We might question whether Gods existence
provides the best explanation of what we observe
in the universe. - General Worries
- Single designer?
- Presently Existing Designer?
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Objections to the Design Argument
- We might question whether Gods existence
provides the best explanation of what we observe
in the universe. - Specific Worries
- Depending on what examples of complex harmony
we look at, we might very well come up with rival
explanations.
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Objections to the Design Argument
- Another way to object to the design argument is
to attack the central analogy
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Arguments by Analogy
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Objections to the Design Argument
- Another way to object to the design argument is
to attack the central analogy - In the case of watches, we know a lot about how
they come into existence. But we have no similar
knowledge of how universes come into existence. - In the case of living organisms we know that they
come about through a process of reproduction. But
watches don't reproduce.
