Design Argument

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June 3, 2024

Summary Arguments for God’s Existence #6 – Design Argument

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Design Argument, Theistic Arguments
1 Comment 

The design argument for God’s existence that I presented in my “Does God Exist?” podcast series could be succinctly summarized as “the universe looks designed because it was designed.”

This could be fleshed out a bit more as follows: “Our universe exhibits a level of specificity and complexity that cannot be explained by chance or physical necessity, but only by a designing intelligence who transcends the universe and intentionally designed the universe to be inhabited by advanced lifeforms such as ourselves.”

I will offer one final version with a bit more detail: “There are many features of our universe that have to be just right for intelligent life to exist, including the initial conditions. The level of precision involved defies human comprehension. It can’t be explained by pure chance and there’s no reason to think it is due to physical necessity, so the best explanation is that these features were designed by a transcendent source. Design requires a designer > A designer requires intelligence > Intelligence requires a personal being = God.”

 

May 24, 2024

Thomas Aquinas’ Fourth and Fifth Ways

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Design Argument, Theistic Arguments
[2] Comments 

I just wrapped up my podcast discussion of Aquinas’ Five Ways by examining his Fourth and Fifth Ways. The Fourth Way argues that the grades of perfection we observe in the world can only be explained by the existence of a maximally perfect being. The Fifth Way argues for the existence of an intelligent being who guides everything towards their natural ends.

Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, or at https://thinkingtobelieve.buzzsprout.com. Feel free to comment on the episode here as well.

 

February 16, 2024

Theistic Arguments #6: A Teleological Argument for God’s Existence

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Design Argument, Theistic Arguments
[19] Comments 
The sixth argument I offer for God’s existence in my “Does God Exist?” podcast series is the teleological argument, or argument from design. Teleological arguments affirm that there is evidence of design in the universe, and this design is best explained by theism.
I just posted my first episode in the mini-series, which is a 1-N-Done episode summarizing a form of the teleological argument based on the fine-tuning of the initial conditions and physical constants of our universe. You can listen to it wherever you get podcasts, or from https://thinkingtobelieve.buzzsprout.com.
You can also read a paper I have written on the topic, available at the link below:

Fine-Tuned for Life: A Teleological Argument for God’s Existence

The paper is 29 pages long, so if that’s more than you have time to read, I’ve also written a couple of shorter versions of the paper that will be easier to digest.

Fine-Tuned for Life: A Teleological Argument for God’s Existence – A Short Case (7 pages)

Fine-Tuned for Life: A Teleological Argument for God’s Existence – A Very Short Case (4 pages)

Also, check out Dr. William Lane Craig’s video on the teleological argument:

 

May 3, 2011

Challenging the Cosmic Design Argument: Could the Physical Constants be Necessary?

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Design Argument, Intelligent Design, Theistic Arguments
1 Comment 

Theists argue that the fine-tuning of the physical constants of the universe provide evidence that the universe is designed.  For example, if gravitational force was 1/100,000,000,000,000th (1/100 trillionth) degree stronger the universe would not have expanded to form the terrestrial bodies.  If the force was 1/100,000,000,000,000th degree weaker the universe would expand at rate too fast for matter to coalesce into terrestrial bodies.  The ratio of electrons to protons is fine-tuned to 1 part in 1037, meaning if the ratio was altered by just 1 part in 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000 complex life would not be possible.

To give you a sense of the specificity involved, Hugh Ross asks us to imagine covering the entire North American continent with dimes, all the way up to the moon (239,000 miles high).  Do the same thing on 1,000,000,000 other continents of identical size, “[p]aint one dime red and mix it into the billion of piles of dimes.  Blindfold a friend and ask him to pick out one dime.  The odds that he will pick the red dime are one in 1037.”[1]

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