On the Inadequacy of the Design Theory
SUBJECT: The Design Theory in Hume's DialoguesTOPIC: Skepticism of the Design TheoryPAPER TITLE: "On the Inadequacy of the Design Theory"THESIS: That using the design theory to prove the existence of God is philosophically The design argument is a proof for the existence of God. Hume uses this idea in the Dialogues. Cleanthes is defending this argument. He states that: 1.)Machines are produced by intelligent design. 2.)The universe resembles a machine. 3.)Therefore, the universe was produced by intelligent design. The whole argument rests upon the analogy between the design we recognize in human-created artifacts and similar design we recognize in the universe. In this paper I will attempt to argue that you cannot prove the existence of God using the design argument. First of all, the design argument is based on a faulty analogy. We don't know whether the order in nature was the result of design since, unlike our experience with the creation of machines, we did not witness the formation of the world. Second, the vastness of the universe weakens any comparison with human artifacts. Alt
So was it order or design? Its order to the person who was there when the marbles were moved into their current space. Even if the design of the universe is of divine origin, we aren't justified in saying that this divine cause is a single, all powerful, or all good being. Philo states to Cleanthes: "You have no reason, on your theory, for ascribing perfection to the deity, even in his finite capacity; or for supposing him free from every error, mistake, or incoherence, in his undertakings. Yet he automatically prescribes perfection to this Deity. So we can use the same analogy for the creation of the universe. Then the skeptic says, isn't that what we are doing if we prove the existence of God through order? So then it is possible that the world was created out of order and not design. In conclusion, using the design argument to prove the existence of God is philosophically inaccurate because:1. And natural laws are not empirically obvious. Cleanthes, being an anthropomorphite, views God like a man. But according to your method of reasoning, these difficluties become all real; and perhaps will be insisted on, as new instances of likeness to human art and contrievance. And even if the universe is of divine origin, we are not justified in concluding that this divine cause is a single, all powerful, or all good being. Then if there is no intention of design, there is no designer. " The Philo concludes, "A very small part of this great system, during a very short time, is very imperfectly discovered to us: And do we thence pronounce decisively concerning the origin of the whole (Hume, 59)?"3. So God would have qualities like a man.
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