2. Assess the extent Inductive reasoning is useful in arguing for Gods existence. (12)
2. Assess the importance a posteriori types of arguments for Gods existence. (12)
2. Assess the significance of the interpretation of experience in arguments for Gods existence. (12)
2. Assess the importance of types of order and regularity in the Teleological argument. (12)
2 Assess the strenghts arguments for Gods existence that depend on the role of analogy. (12)
2 Assess two key weaknesses of the Design Argument for the existence of God. (12) 2017 AS Q
2 Assess the strengths of the teleological argument for the existence of God. (12)
2 Assess the strength of the argument from analogy in the Design Argument for the existence of God. (12) 2018 AS Q
Many Christians might say that the Design Argument proves that God exists. The world is so complicated and amazing that it has to have a designer, and that designer is God. Other people might disagree that an argument can prove anything about God, and they might contradict the evidence put forward in the argument by Christians.
To support the above statement Christians might refer to William Paley and is watch analogy. The watch is complicated, and it has a designer. He compares the watch the world and the world is even more complex, therefore it also must have a designer, and he said the only person capable of designing the world had to be God, therefore God exists. On the face of it this seems like a logical argument and fairly convincing because there is evidence of design in the world.
Evidence to support the argument are complexities in nature. For example the complicated patterns that occur such as the Fibonacci sequence, DNA, and the fact that our Earth exists in the Goldilocks zone. The chances of this happening are billions to one. All of this complexity points to the fact that the universe didn’t appear by chance but was carefully designed and created by God, supporting the statement that God must exist.
However, the argument does not convince everyone that God exists. Atheists might say that there are flaws in the argument. Just because the world appears designed, doesn’t mean it has a designer. In fact, we now know that all the complexities in the world are the result of evolution, and evidence for this has come from Charles Darwin with his trip to the Galapagos Islands and his evidence of animals and birds for example the finches, adapting to their environments rather than being created and designed as they are now.
Secular people might also point to the fact that the world often appears random and unplanned. There is evidence of moral and natural evil happening for example natural disasters such as tsunamis and good people suffer and die. If God had designed the world, then surely he wouldn’t let this happen. They might therefore conclude that either he is a bad designer, or that he doesn’t exist.
In conclusion it would appear that the Design Argument at first glance is a logical argument because complicated things do require a designer and it does have some good evidence to support it such as the complexities in nature. It is therefore convincing to Christians that God exists. However, I don’t agree that it proves God exists, because much of the evidence put forward such as complex patterns in nature are now known to be the result of billions of years of evolution, something William Paley wouldn’t have known about. This doesn’t mean God doesn’t exist, but it does mean that the argument isn’t strong enough to prove his existence. I would conclude therefore that the argument might strengthen a Christian’s faith, but doesn’t provide proof of God’s existence.
2. Assess the credibility of the teleological argument from the cumulative effect of evidence. (12)
2. Assess the debate between Copleston and Russel on religious experience as an argument for the existence of God (12) Sams 2016
2 Assess the weakness of the claim the anthropic principle is the strongest form of the teleological argument. (12)
2 Assess two key weaknesses of the Design Argument for the existence of God. 12 2017 AS
2 Assess the strength of the argument from analogy in the Design Argument for the existence of God. (12) 2018 AS Q
2 Assess the strengths of the claim that Swinburne's regularities of co-presence and regularities of succession show God exists. (12)
2. Assess how far the theory of evolution undermines Design Arguments. (12) 2021 Q
2 Assess the strengths of the claim that the probability rather than proof of the design argument means it is unsuccessful. (12)
2 Assess the importance of the claim there are alternative interpretations, including evolution and deism of design. . (12)
2 Assess the strengths of challenges to the teleological argument. (12)
2 Assess the weaknesses of the claim the teleological argument is successful. (12)
3b Analyse the extent to which the Design Argument is undermined by its weaknesses. (20) 2020AS Q
2 Assess the significance of Hume’s contribution to the design argument for the existence of God. (8)