Teleological Argument

views updated May 09 2018

Teleological Argument


According to the teleological argument, the order and complexity exhibited by the world are properly attributed to a purposive cause rather than a blind, undirected process. Historically, in looking for evidence of purpose, the argument has focused on the world as a whole, its laws, and structures within the world (notably life). The teleological argument has two recent incarnations. One employs the Anthropic Principle and focuses on the fine-tuning or "just-so" aspects of the physical universe required for human observers. The other constitutes a revival of design-theoretic reasoning in biology and is known under the rubric "intelligent design."


See also Design

william a. dembski

Teleological argument

views updated Jun 11 2018

Teleological argument. A type of argument for God's existence starting from signs of order or purpose in the world; also known as the Argument from Design and the Physico-Theological Argument. St Thomas Aquinas' Fifth Way (Summa Theologiae, 1a, ii. 3) is an example of such an argument.

argument from design

views updated May 21 2018

argument from design in Christian theology, the argument that God's existence is demonstrable from the evidence of design in the universe.