Re Essay- Telelogical Argument

Re Essay- Telelogical Argument

  • Submitted By: sinthu06
  • Date Submitted: 03/14/2009 4:44 AM
  • Category: Philosophy
  • Words: 1011
  • Page: 5
  • Views: 925

Part 1a) Explain Paley’s version of the teleological argument and Mill’s objectives to it.
The teleological argument is similar to the cosmological argument as it tries to find the existence of God from the facts and evidence that is given. The teleological argument also is based upon the assumption that the Universe is unable to convey the reason for its existence. The teleological argument is also known as the design argument therefore the argument would conclude that God is the designer of the world. It uses the facts of order, regularity and purpose, which are known as the raw materials to create the Universe. Teleological can be defined as the explanation to end, goal or purpose therefore it is nature that is seen as something that may be beneficial to the world.
William Paley created many theories e.g. “Natural Theology”, “Evidence of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity” and “Collected from the Appearances of Nature” to display the similarity between God and the natural world therefore conveying that it is God’s creation. His teleological argument is based on organisms to machines and their creation. His argument was split into two different issues.
Firstly, design qua purpose is a memory of Paley’s. During Paley’s time, the “pocket watch” was invented and received a big audience from the object. Paley uses the analogy of the watch to illustrate the argument. The concept of Paley’s argument was an unknown original object however Paley believed that it was something that we knew very well. If you come across a watch, you would know that it did not happen by chance and there was a purpose behind it. The purpose would consist of the way in which it is created. Likewise, the designer of the Universe would need reason in the way the Universe is placed together. As God is a “perfect supreme being” thus the designer of the world.
Similarly, to the watch the “eye” could be seen as another example of having a particular purpose. Paley quoted “Were...

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