Hume's Objections to God's Existence: Analyzing Objections 1-5 - Prof. Michael J. Seidler, Study notes of Introduction to Philosophy

Download Hume's Objections to God's Existence: Analyzing Objections 1-5 - Prof. Michael J. Seidler and more Study notes Introduction to Philosophy in PDF only on Docsity! Hume’s Objections to… I. Objection One: a. Not a strong enough Analogy i. Leaf/plant- because of inner workings plants must be like animals & Humans ii. Based a conclusion on similarity b. Analogies can be wrong! c. The Universe is disorganized compared to watches & houses i. Watches & Houses are human fabrication external efficient causes ii. Universe is Spontaneous, therefore making it different 1. (Apples to Oranges) d. Adjustment of means to ends i. House – has stairs (means) to second floor (end) 1. – Design & purposiveness ii. Universe – Legs (means) to Walk (end) iii. Stairs are the way they are so that one can ascend to the next floor iv. Legs are the way they are so that living things that have them can move. 1. SO THAT – Purpose Clause (=in order that) a. – Result Clause (=as a result/consequence) 2. Result Clause refuses to put a purpose on things v. Result Clause undoes the Purpose Clause. II. Objection Two: a. Other Possible Explanations for Adjustments i. Natural Explanations b. Human Intelligence is merely one explanation for the adjustments for means to ends. i. Example: beaks of different birds c. To suggest intelligence that is behind the adjustments is the extrapolation of one sort of explanation to the whole Universe. i. Meaning: human intelligence = number one d. What gives us the right to put this means to explain everything?? i. Over Extension e. Intelligence is not the only way order can be produced. f. Other Explanations of Order/Design on Universe: i. Theory of Evolution 1. Leaves room for Randomness & Chance 2. Increasingly “Better Fit” between organism & environment I. Gradual = better II. Transitional life forms = “missing links” b. Relationships appear to be designed 3. Adapted animals have advantage = forward thrust that keeps evolution going a. Some organisms can be well adapted & suddenly a trait can become useless. I. Example: Dinosaurs 4. Disorder/Non order  Greater Order (less)  (more) a. Gradual adjustment of means to ends 5. Design explanation disagrees: Order  Order (more)  (less) I. Basic Idea of Evolution: 1. Living things inherit characteristics from their parents 2. Inheritance involves variation a. Variation among Kind b. Variation among Kin 3. Limitation of resources