The naïve teleological argument : An argument from design for ordinary people

Book chapter

Evans, C. Stephen. (2018). The naïve teleological argument : An argument from design for ordinary people. In In Walls, Jerry L. and Dougherty, Trent (Ed.). pp. 108-122 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190842215.003.0007

Publication dates
Authors	Evans, C. Stephen
Editors	Walls, Jerry L. and Dougherty, Trent
Abstract	This chapter considers an argument from design, meant for those without a technical scientific background, and based on Thomas Reid’s concept of natural signs. For Reid, sensations function as natural signs in perception when some object in the world causes sensations, on the basis of which one is disposed to form beliefs and concepts about those objects. This establishes direct, non-inferential knowledge of what we perceive. If God exists, it is plausible that He would make himself known by means of natural signs. One kind of natural sign would be the perceived design in nature. According to both externalist and internalist accounts of knowledge, natural signs of God offer justification for a person to believe in God. The justification could be non-inferential but the sign could also be the basis of an argument of the type explained in this chapter. The chapter ends by responding to an objection from evolution against apparent design.
Keywords	argument from design; Thomas Reid; evolution; perception; natural signs; justification
Page range	108-122
Year	2018
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Place of publication	Oxford
ISBN	9780190842215
	9780190842222
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)	https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190842215.003.0007
Publisher's version	License All rights reserved File Access Level Controlled
Output status	Published
Print	2018
Online	Sep 2018
Publication process dates
Deposited	12 May 2021

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