1. Explore different ideas about inductive reasoning in the design argument for the existence of God. (8 marks)
Clarify key ideas – design argument uses order and purpose
What inductive reasoning is
How it is used in the design argument
Aquinas’ fifth way
How fifth way demonstrates existence of God
Whale example
Not used b Aquinas himself
Paley and design qua purpose
Paley and design qua regularity

2. Explore different ideas about inductive reasoning in the design argument for the existence of God. (8 marks)
The design argument for the existence of God is largely based upon the idea that the cumulative effect of all of the order and purpose that exists within the universe is proof that it could not have come about by chance, it must have been designed and the only thing powerful enough to do this is God.
An inductive argument is one that uses premises to reach a conclusion. If the premises are correct then the conclusion is probably correct.
The second form of the design argument is inductive and takes the perspective that because the universe demonstrates regular order and motion, it must have been designed.
Aquinas’ fifth way is an inductive version and seeks to demonstrate the existence of God using the idea of beneficial order. Aquinas argued that non-rational creatures can be observed as acting beneficially and as they lacked the intelligence to do this by themselves, they must be being guided by a higher being whom he argued must be God.
An example that could be used to illustrate this is the annual migration of grey Alaskan whales to Mexico during the breeding season, the warmer waters give the newborn whales a better chance of survival thus making this migration beneficial.
It is important to stress that this example was not used by Aquinas himself as he lived at a time when it would not have been possible to track the migration of whales.
Paley also proposed an inductive argument looking at design and purpose. Design qua purpose is the idea that we can observe that things in the universe are fitted to a specific purpose. A popular example used to support this idea is the human eye that functions through a complex arrangement of intricate connected parts, and that if just one aspect were to be changed or absent, it would no longer fulfil its purpose
Design qua regularity is the empirical observation that the universe shows order and regularity. For example, the orbit of the planets in the solar system, each planet follows a regular and orderly rotation of the sun that supporters of the argument have concluded must be the work of a designer who has imposed such order and purpose on the universe as a whole.