The Design or Teleological Argument for the Existence of God

2 seemingly obvious questions: (a) What is the purpose of this arrow (b) How does it achieve this purpose

Re-cap: What is the argument? Last lesson we said that the argument basically works as follows: 1.The world contains order, regularity, purpose, and beauty. 2.By looking at an object containing these properties, we may infer that is was designed. 3.Since the world is an object containing some evidence of design then 4.CONCLUSION: the world was designed; the designer we call ‘God’ Rate my argument Convincing Unconvincing

Key Terms for the argument We call this the ‘Design Argument’ because it attempts to prove God through the concept of design. It is also known as the ‘Teleological Argument’ from the Greek telos, meaning ‘end’ or ‘purpose’. The argument claims that the world displays a God- given purpose or is itself the end-goal of God’s creative process.

The reasoning used in the argument: a posteriori – means “after the fact” and refers to the idea that the argument is based on our experience of the world around us and the design we see (or infer) in it. Task: Look at the following images and then write down: – What your emotional response is to the images? – Can you infer any conclusions from the images? If so, what are they?

Questions: What is your emotional response to the images? Can you infer any conclusions from the images? If so, what are they?

Historical background Re-cap We said that first design argument was put forward by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. In his work The Timaeus, Plato suggests that a cosmic craftsman (‘the Demiurge’) may have brought together the pre-existing materials of the universe, to make it orderly and beautiful. Plato said that the Universe is the “off spring of intelligence” which “directs it” to its best potential and purpose and end. We said that Aristotle developed this in his Metaphysics and said that order and beauty was the “handiwork” of the unmoved mover These arguments were developed in more depth in Medieval philosophy, most notably by the 13 th century Italian philosopher and monk Saint Thomas Aquinas. Today we take a look at his argument and analogy

The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things which lack intelligence, 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. Hence it is plain that not fortuitously, but designedly, do they achieve their end. Now whatever lacks intelligence cannot move towards an end, unless it be directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (I Q2.3): the Fifth Way from the ‘Five Ways’ Underline where we see word and phrases that seem to evidence the influence of Plato and Aristotle in this text?

The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things which lack intelligence, 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. Hence it is plain that not fortuitously, but designedly, do they achieve their end. Now whatever lacks intelligence cannot move towards an end, unless it be directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (I Q2.3): the Fifth Way from the ‘Five Ways’ Where do you see evidence of the influence of Plato and Aristotle in this text?

“The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things which lack intelligence, 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. Hence it is plain that not fortuitously, but designedly, do they achieve their end. Now whatever lacks intelligence cannot move towards an end, unless it be directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God.” Task: Write a paragraph in which you draw out the similarities between what Aquinas is here saying about theistic design and what Plato and Aristotle said before him. Remember to look at the Plato/Aristotle sheet we completed last lesson. Write in full sentences.

“The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things which lack intelligence, 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. Hence it is plain that not fortuitously, but designedly, do they achieve their end. Now whatever lacks intelligence cannot move towards an end, unless it be directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God.” Task: Write a paragraph in which you draw out the similarities between what Aquinas is here saying about theistic design and what Plato and Aristotle said before him. Remember to look at the Plato/Aristotle sheet we completed last lesson. Write in full sentences. Plato refers to the universe as the “off spring of intelligence” which, as he understood it, meant that the demi-urge used its intelligence to create order out of the pre-existing chaos from which it fashioned the universe. Similarly, Aquinas speaks of God as the intelligence that directs all natural things towards their purpose; the intelligence guiding the universe. Likewise, Aristotle speaks of the Universe as the “handiwork” of the unmoved mover, which brings about beauty and order. Aquinas writes similarly of natural things being unable to “move” towards their purpose or goal without direction from a being who he says is “endowed with knowledge and intelligence”, namely God. Where Aquinas parts company with Plato and Aristotle is that his being of intelligence is a personal God, not a demi-urge or an unmoved mover, but a God of personal intelligence and care for creation.

Formulating an analogy One of the major methods in theistic design arguments is the use of analogy. An analogy is a comparison between two or more objects to make or prove a point. For example: “the world is like a well oiled machine”. Task: take a couple of minutes to write down other possible analogies, starting with the phrase “the world is like …”

Argument by analogy as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God. Thomas Aquinas

In other words: whatever lacks knowledge cannot move towards an end unless something else with intelligence directs it So in classic e.g. of the arrow and the archer the arrow is directed by the archer i.e. an intelligent being exists that directs things to their end. Aquinas says that in the same way as the archer directs the arrow, a divine being directs everything with his intelligence

Aquinas in Summary 1. Everything in natural world follows natural laws, even if not actually conscious, thinking beings. 2. If things follow natural laws they do well - have purpose. 3. However, if a thing cannot think for itself it can only have purpose if it is directed by something that has intelligence 4. So an arrow, for example, can only be directed to its goal by an intelligent archer 5. The arrow needs an external intelligent thing acting upon to direct it towards its purpose 6. In the same way, the universe cannot think for itself and yet it appears to have purpose, therefore it MUST have a divine intelligence (God) to help direct it to its purpose

TASK: Summarise Aquinas’ argument into the rings of the target board. Start your first sentence on the outer rim of the target and finish with the bulls eye reading “ the universe is uided by divine I intelligence: God”