Philosophy Paleys argument

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PHH 2000 , 1

11 February 2008

The argument from the perspective of teleology or design put forth by William Paley is that the intelligent and coherent way in which the universe is put together necessitates that an intelligent creator existed to put such things into place . The word teleological is derived from the Greek word telos , and which means purpose or design . In keeping with this , Paley presents the universe as one for which a purpose was intended . Paley demonstrates this by showing how that entity must have

br fashioned the universe 's parts toward a specific end (Paley 32

One might consider the origin of the universe by using an analogy . This involves comparing the designed appearance of the universe to something else that is understood (or universally believed ) to be designed and manufactured by another . Consider the idea of a person coming upon a watch in a field . People are not likely to take note if they came across a stone in a field . However , when one considers the idea of a watch , its make-up and function , one is inclined to think that such an object must have had a designer (32 . While the stones existence within that field is commonplace and its location there quite natural , the watch is categorically different from the stone and its function completely alien to the surroundings in which it is found . Its make-up (of screws and minute /hour hands , which work so well for the purpose of giving the time , gives the appearance of a designer . The existence of a designer is inferred from the way in which the parts and functions of the watch work together in a fine-tuned and harmonic way to give an accurate idea of the time of day

It is neither just the complexity feature of the watch nor the fact that it is composed of many parts that makes it point toward a designer (34 Complexity does indeed add a deeper layer to the idea of the universe being composed of many parts . Yet , if the watch that was found in the field did nothing in particular , then the argument for a designer would be weak . Design has to do with having a particular end in mind , as the watch has an end and purpose for which it exists . In the same way , the universe does in fact consist of many parts , but it is the complex ing of these parts for the purpose of performing the functions found within the universe - this is what points toward an Intelligent Designer

In fact , the analogical viewpoint goes further to suggest that if a discernible design exists within an object , then that fact points also to the existence of a designer . The analogy goes back to the watch , but also includes reference to the heart (which is itself a part of the natural world . A design can be discerned within each of these objects - the watch containing parts that spin in to calibrate moments...