Teleological Argument on the Existence of God

Teleological Argument on the Existence of God In todays society there are many arguments surrounding the question does God exist?. One of these is the teleological argument. The world around us is very intricate, from snowflakes to plain old rocks, much like the items we ourselves create. Many people nowadays and throughout history (myself included) noticed this trend and think about how our world is structured and detailed in a way that when studied closely, looks as though it mustve been designed in order to exist at all. Nothing we create that is complex (a computer chip/watch) is there by chance, they had to be designed, it had to be intricately placed together in order to create said object. If this is true of manmade objects, then surely everything that surrounds has to be created by an intelligent being too? These thoughts were brought together by William Paley and form what is known as the teleological argument in philosophy. A rock is just as complicated and mosaic like as a watch that has been painstakingly designed by hand when viewed on a quantum level, this idea is fully explained and examined in the watchmakers analogy which suggests that if a watch was designed, then surely all that is intricate in nature must surely have an ultimate creator. Paley himself began to consider this argument while thinking about religion, how God fits into the creation of the universe and everything in it. The theory that all things must be created, otherwise known as the intelligent design theory, has been debated and supported by numerous philosophers throughout the ages, from St Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century, through the movement in the 16th and 17th centuries led by the likes of William Derham, to modern day philosophical theorists and evolutionary biologists such as eminent atheist Richard Dawkins. The earliest cited versions of this argument are associated with Socrates in ancient Greece, although it has bee n argued that his ideas were influenced by earlier philosophical arguments. Plato, his student, and Aristotle, developed complex methodologies around the idea that the universe has an intelligent designer. William Paley was an English churchman and Christian apologist who lived in the mid-18th century to the early 19th century, his treatise and lectures (that were delivered to such notable philosophers as John Locke) on moral philosophy, concerned themselves with proving the existence of God. He believed that the complexity and order of all things could not have come about as a matter of chance, and that all things within the universe seem to have been designed with a purpose in mind. In Paleys mind the only thing that would make sense in order to explain this would be a God, the Christian God of his religion. This is in direct opposition to Darwins theory of natural selection and evolution. Using the watchmakers analogy Paley suggested The marks of design are too strong to be got over. Design must have had a designer. That designer must have been a person. That person is GOD. In this theory the watch is a metaphor for the universe; God is to the universe as Watchmaker is to the watch. Even if we didnt know where the watch from the analogy came from, we could still infer that it was made by someone or something with a specific purpose in mind because of its complexity and function. This can be transferred to the origin/creation of the universe and things we cant yet explain and since we have no definitive answers as to how to universe was created, we can assume the same. Paley did not accept that the existence of things such as natural disasters or immorality in the world as a counter argument for his theory or as evidence of a creators malicious intent or bad design. After all, even the most intricately designed things can be broken or go wrong in certain circumstances. A watch, despite its intricate design might sometimes malfunction which does not disprove the fact it had been created with intent and purpose. He believed that everything in the universe (natural or man-made) has an order. For example, the galaxy orbits its centre, just as the planets orbit the sun and an electron orbits an atom. Everything has a pattern, a structure, no matter how simple or intricate it is; they are in everything you look at or do. This order, Paley argued, is proof of his argument saying that God exists and is the ultimate creator of everything. The Scottish philosopher David Hume, who was a relative contemporary to Paley, disagreed with the idea of the intelligent design argument being proof of Gods existence, which he thought had a complete lack of evidence. Hume strongly believed in empiricism (that everything comes from our senses) and thought that rational thought and the laws of nature proved that miracles werent a possibility. He also argued that an orderly universe was not proof of a creator and that even if there was a God, supreme deity or designer we couldnt possibly know anything about it or prove its existence. He thought that if there was a creator, why did it have to be God? Could there be more than one creator/God? The design argument does nothing to prove the existence of God in the traditional sense, that being a God who is omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence (all good, all knowing and always there). Perhaps this deity isnt the ultimate being and the design argument does nothing to either prove or di sprove the existence of an all-powerful God. The fact that evil exists in any form and is everywhere, suggests that God is either all-powerful but not completely good or he has good intentions but is not able to eradicate evil and isnt all-powerful. Hume uses this as counter-argument to the idea of an omniscient God as an all-good and kind god wouldnt inflict needless pain on people/sentient beings that have done nothing wrong. It doesnt make sense, why would God make us with the ability to choose good or evil in order to allow us to receive eternal life and then punish us as soon as we make our own choices? If God existed (in the traditional sense) then the existence of evil, even in the tiniest amount, would contradict what the traditional Christian God is known as and stands for because you cannot be all-good, all-powerful and all-present if you allow evil and suffering to occur. Whilst Paleys theory attempts to explain the existence of an ordered and complex universe via his intelligent design argument many other philosophers have disagreed and came up with their own theories (Hume) which counter what Paley argued and tried to explain. Hume doesnt deny that there is a God or intelligent designer, but he discredits Paley by talking about rational thought and the problem of evil which seems to further pull apart Paleys already rather flawed argument. He also disputed the assumption that everything that exists must have a creator or a cause for existence. Primarily, Hume argued that a theory represented as a best possible explanation, such as Paleys, showed a complete lack of evidence to support it and instead raised many more questions than it answered. To conclude, I do not believe that the teleological argument proves or disproves the existence of God, I do however believe that it is a matter of perspective and personal judgement when it comes down to which side to believe/be on. Humes argument seems to me to be the more logical argument between the two, as it has less loopholes and flaws when compared to the teleological side. However, contrary to his reputation as The Great Infidel, Hume did nor categorically deny the existence of God, but argued that it cannot either be proved, nor disproved, which allows room for interpretation depending on your viewpoint.

Success: Goals

My Road to Success GEN/200 Irene Blundell My Road to Success Even though my road will be mentally and emotionally exhausting, I will need to obtain and maintain self-determination; to reach my goals in life. I never want to lose sight of the goals I have set before myself. I will become an example for this generation and many more ahead as long as I stay motivated to my goals. I will prove to my family that if they apply the right knowledge, anything is possible. I have to sacrifice to benefit my future for the reason that my future will be filled with wealth, happiness, and a sense of accomplishment.Continuing to receive the positive outlook I receive from many situations in life. Every day is one step closer to my goals as long as I stay focused. Self-determination is the key to reach goals in my life. Self-determination is to become accountable to my actions, thought, and words. Always developing an understanding of what my life experience have led me. My success is not focusing o n my situations at hand but the main goal ahead. I understood when I wrote my goals there would be sacrifices that I would need to face.Some people give excuses because they want to settle or scared to achieve greatness just because of how they think of themselves. People do not understand how much life has to offer. If they only humble there to mind and realize there is a bigger road than the dip in the road. Through my struggles in life, I had to humble myself and receive the positive outlook from the situations. I do not expect success to be easy, but continuing to be strong in my beliefs and not giving up and staying focused ahead is an award in itself. It would have been easy for me to give up, but I was driven on my goals I have set for my life.I never seen success to follow but I took advantage of the successful people that who were planted in my life to encourage me and teach me along this road. The past is an unchanging, but as long as I understand that I can change my tomo rrow, my life will become remarkable. The only way we move forward is to learn from the past and let it go. Some people spend more time living in the past and jeopardize an amazing future (Maxwell, 2003). After years of turmoil, I understood that forgiveness is the main factor a successful life. Maintaining self-discipline in college is vital to success.In college, I need to have good time management, budget, and become accountable for my actions. This degree plan I will obtain will set me up on an excellent career plan. I will not settle for getting by, but doing my best and settling college goals. I am the only one in my generation to finish high school and attend college, but not the last. Through all my hard work and dedication I will be able to pass down a legacy. I will pass down the knowledge that will help my family to achieve goals. For that every action that I do, not only reflect on me, but also my family.My family will reach the top together and not hold one another on a pedestal. No one wants to reach the top alone but acquiring amazing people to share it with along the road. Being someone’s biggest supporter can mean more that I considered. I think twice before I speak because my words influence people. I can either sow a seed of success or failure. It will benefit me in life if I decide to speak of success; because what a man sows he shall will reap I have been truly blessed with the successful people in my life that guided me onto the right path.They took time out of their life to impact mine, now I will impact others. Goals not written out are just wishes. Writing out my goals was hard to understand in the beginning. I had to set my goals high enough to inspire me but low enough to keep me encouraged. Writing my goals for my life was a slow but steady process but familiarized myself with this benefit. I always write my goal out and look at them every day just to reassure myself that success is just a decision away. Throughout My Road I put my goals in two groups. First, I set my Long-term goal with patience and research.Second, I make short-term goals to complete as long as it lines up with my main goal. I have accomplished goals in the past and understand the benefits of self-accomplishment. The reward I receive by achieving my goals is why I strive to keep pushing forward. Understanding that choices I make in life whether good or bad have an effect on the road of life. Throughout My road I have seen a great deal of people around me fail or give up. I took what I saw and applied it as positive tools for my lifestyle. I became strong because I never believed I was defeated or victimized of my situation .I decided not to keep that vicious family failure continuing in my own life was the stepping stone. When I realized that there was more to life than what my negative people in my life. I knew that the sky is the limit. I had an abundance of help from people who came into my life not because they had to but because they wanted to. My mentors were not going to let me be another statistic and gave me a chance to realize my potential. Every person in this world has potential they just need to accept the blessing and realize what is inside them.Although this road will be mentally and emotionally exhausting, I have made a decision to maintain self determination to reach my goals in life, for two main reasons. First, to be a great example for my family, I want them to understand what I was taught but that it is not where I came from but where I am headed (Fitzgerald, 2003). My family will understand that I apply the right knowledge in my life for that ,anything is possible. Serving in the military taught me about having self-discipline and Appling it to my life. I am glad I came into college with self-discipline and motivation I received in training.Every Situation I am in I receive the positive knowledge and apply it to my life. Most important is striving for my goals. I never want to lack motivati on or lose sight of what I am striving for. I will have self-discipline in my life to stay focus and motivate to achieve my goals. If I continue to strive, my future will be filled with wealth, happiness, and a sense of accomplishment. References Fitzgerald, E. (2003). First Lady of Song. Retrieved from http://www. ellafitzgerald. com Maxwell, J. C. (2003). Attitude 101. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc..

Refugee Blues †W.H. Auden Essay

Poet – Wynstan Hugh Auden, born as a doctor’s son in February 1907 in York, United Kingdom, counts as one of the greatest English poets of the twentieth century. Theme – abuse of human rights experienced not only by German Jews but by other Jews and by refugees anywhere. Structure – The poem contains twelve stanzas of three lines each. The first and second line of each stanza rhyme. The two rhyming lines of each stanza tell the story, while the third line contains a refrain (like a chorus) that develops the theme of the poem. Analysis – The use of the word blues also reinforces the musical theme of the poem as the sub-genre of jazz – this style of music was created by the slaves in slave communities in the Southern States of the USA. The origin and the modern meaning of this word tie in with the two purposes of the poem. The repeated use of â€Å"my dear† suggests that the couple are married, but doesn’t give a clue as to whether it is the husband or wife speaking. The first stanza notes that the city they have fled to is full of people, both rich and poor, yet there is no space for them. With the use of word such as â€Å"souls† it suggest something valuable or holy about each and every one of the people within the city, it also implies that they are all the same. The tree is an interesting symbol in the next stanza. The tree can go through nature’s cycle but can. However, this is contrasted with man-made documents that, once lost, can never be recovered: ‘Old passports can’t do that, my dear’.

Securing A Republican Political Economy - 2159 Words

Tom Brancato History 531E Analytic Essay 1 Securing a Republican Political Economy Introduction American political economy was greatly shaped by the republican ideas of people like Thomas Jefferson. It is sometimes easy to take the simplistic view of a republic to mean the creation of a self-governing group of people. As McCoy points out, â€Å"To men of the eighteenth century the creation of a republic entailed much more than simply replacing a king and hereditary privilege with an elective system of government.† Indeed, the creation of the early American government involved the setting up of institutions and policies that would be conducive to the forming of a republic. The term â€Å"republic† was more than just a system of government to†¦show more content†¦I would argue that it was the combination of a republican vision supported by the tools of nation building that was the driving force behind the establishment of the early US political economy. The Republican Vision The republican vision was more than just a dream of self-governance. The founders were very cognizant of what it would take to maintain the republic in the long term. As McCoy states, â€Å"†¦they assumed that a healthy republican government demanded an economic and social order that would encourage the shaping of a virtuous citizenry.† Founders, such as Jefferson, felt that virtue was needed to help sustain the republic. According to Jefferson one way to achieve virtue was creating a political economy based on land. By working on the land, one can learn to be self-reliant which would lead to a more virtuous individual. The ideas that an agrarian life was a virtuous one was not unique to the founders. Indeed, some have noted that Adam Smith praised agrarian life for the mental skill it developed, and warned of the dangers of industrial labor on the mind . Surely, it couldn’t have just been the mental benefit that agrarian life promi sed, that motivated founders like Jefferson. The fact that England was mostly an industrial, mercantilist economy gave credence to the desire of some of the founders to prevent the newly formed nation from going down the