The Teleological Argument  Aquinas, Paley ( )  The Argument: Two Ways To View It:  First Way: Argument By Analogy  1. Aspects Of Natural World Are Like Machines  2. Machines Are Produced By Intelligent Design  3. Therefore, Aspects Of Natural World Are Produced By Intelligent Design (God)

Key Questions Regarding First Premise:  Which Aspects Of Natural World Are Like Machines?  Solar Systems?  Organisms?  In What Ways Are These Aspects Of Natural World Like Machines?  Moving Parts?  Regularity?  Teleology!

The Focus On Functionality  Biological Systems And Organisms  Regularity Plus Teleology  Internal Parts And Sub-Systems With Clear Purposes  The Link Between Functionality And Intelligent Design  Purposefulness Implies Intention

The Teleological Argument (cont.)  Second Way: Inference To Best Explanation 1. World Contains Many Well-Crafted Machines With Functional Parts 2. Best Explanation For This Is An Intelligent Craftsman/Designer 3. Therefore, There Exists An Intelligent Craftsman/Designer (God)  Garden Analogy

Objections And Replies  Hume’s Criticisms (First Way)  Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion: 1779  Take Analogy Seriously: Suggests Imperfect God(s)  Darwinian Criticism (Second Way)  Evolution Provides Alternative Explanation  Apparent Design From Random Processes: “The Blind Watchmaker”  Teleology Resurrected: “Fine Tuning” Arguments About The Universe