Similarly, William Paley, strongly believed that the observation of the intricate complexity of the universe concludes that there must be a creator. Paley believed that this creator was God. In ‘Natural Theology’, he used the analogy of the watch to his ideas. He explained that if you came across an intricately designed watch, you could conclude that watch was not made by chance and was designed with purpose and placed there. For Paley, the different parts of watch work perfectly together to fulfil a purpose.
Therefore, man is obligated to repent and put his faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and bear good fruit or face the righteous judgement of God. In Romans 1:20, Paul reveals that the natural world testifies to a supernatural cause. According to the scientific evidence, nature itself had a beginning. As Dr. Frank Turek points out, the supernatural cause that created nature must be spaceless (Because it created space), timeless (Because it created time), immaterial (Because it created matter), powerful (Because it created out of nothing), intelligent (Because the creation event and the universe was precisely designed), and personal (Because it made a choice to convert a state of nothing into something; impersonal forces don’t make choices). This evidence is consistent with Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Paul eluded to this when he said that God’s invisible qualities, eternal power, and divine nature is clearly seen, being understood by what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Rom.1:20).
The most famous one was written by William Paley (1743-1805). He claimed that the complexity and efficiency of natural objects such as the eye, which is very complex and has a very important function, is evidence that God must have designed it. Paley says that just by looking at a watch we already know, subconsciously, that a watchmaker designed it. So when looking at the eye, why cannot we agree a maker designed it? This argument relies on the idea that a deigned object, a watch in our case, is very similar to the eye, which is a natural object.
CHAPTER 17 Who was a German philosopher that used reason and rationalization to find answers to the unknown by using the scientific methods to understand all of life, thus connecting the 17th and 18th centuries. “Dare to know” was his motto? Who wrote Plurality of the Worlds- downplaying religion. He started Skepticism of religion & contribution to scientific progress. As the great scientist pursued their work exalting God, more were questioning the religious truths and values?
The Argument from Design is that all things have an order of arrangement, and work for an end,(Means to an end). For instance natural bodies work toward an ultimate goal,and its not done by chance. The universe’s order cannot be explained by chance but only by its purpose and design. The natural things lack knowledge, which leads to design and purpose is a product of knowledge/intelligence. Aquinas then goes on to give examples about how an arrow reaches a target but its directed by an archer(the intelligence) , which makes the arrow reach it goal, though it lacks intelligence.
Paley said that if you were to come across a watch in a field, it would require an explanation for it’s existence, and this explanation must have been that a designer designed it. Paley compares this to the Universe, and says that both have similarities. They both have a purpose and both require a designer. While some criticisms may come forth questioning the existence of evil, Paley argued that just like a watch may develop faults, this could also apply to the Universe - it developed
Evaluate Maurice Wiles views on miracles Maurice Wiles is a 20th century philosopher of religion. He has written many books including "The myth of god incarnate" and "gods action in the world". He took the same idea as David Hume in rejecting miracle, however took a very different approach to him. Maurice Wiles believed that Christian teaching has always interwoven with prophecy and miracle: God being incarnated in Christ. He said for Christians the universe and the nature of its workings was in itself a miracle from God.
Explain Paley’s Teleological Argument (AO1 25marks) Firstly, Telos is the Greek word for end or result of some course of action. Therefore, The Teleological Argument looks to demonstrate the existence of God by looking at the universe and trying to demonstrate that is has been designed for some reason or purpose. Evidence of design within the universe leads to the question, if the universe has been designed, who or what designed it? Furthermore, The Teleological Argument aims to demonstrate that the designer of the universe is God. The Teleological Argument is also an example of an a posteriori argument which means that it’s a synthetic argument that reaches conclusions based on evidence observed.
They believe in total integration and know and respect the two books of God. Entwistle (2010) closes the book by focusing on Facncis Bacon's analogy of God's two books and the Ally model of integration. He informs the reader that the Ally model is the only correct way of integration because when science and faith do not match up, science is just proven wrong, but God always has an explanation. The author's final statement tells the reader to look at the "...road ahead, and how integrations must be a shared responsibility that
An a priori argument is an argument in which all the premises are a priori propositions. The Ontological Argument for the existence of God was supposed to be an a priori argument. Argument from Design – an a posteriori argument that God exists, advanced by Aquinas and Palely, criticized by Hume. The argument claims that some feature of the world (like the simplicity of its laws or the fact that organisms are intricate and well-adapted) should be explained by postulating the existence of an intelligent designer, namely God. Argument from Evil – an argument that claims that the existence of evil shows either that there is no God, or that God can’t be all-powerful, all knowing, and all good.