Suppose you found a watch in the forest. You would examine the watch and all of its complexity. Based on the complexity of the watch and how well all of its parts work together in harmony you would conclude that the watch has a designer. And that designer was probably a person.
Now suppose you found a car. You could examine the complexity of the car and conclude that the car was also designer by a person.
If you saw an airplane, you would know that the airplane is complex, so it too must have been designed by a person.
Therefore, all complex things that we've examined have been designed by people. So it is reasonable to conclude that complex things are designed by people. God is very very complex. Even more complex than an airplane. So I guess that means God was designed by people.
So what would you think if you found a watch in the forest? Does it prove that God was designed by people?
2007-12-17 13:59:52 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Nicely done, Vishal. You pulled in the watchmaker argument (false analogy, overgeneralisation) and tied it to the problem of infinite regress.
Now let's see if the theists can spot the fallacies.
2007-12-17 14:21:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree up to a point - I certainly don't believe that chance circumstance can result in highly organized structures - but I see no reason to personify the spiritual forces that are obviously incomprhensible to us,at least at this stage in our spiritual evolution. It's an old habit - like when primitives would personify the wind or the sea and you'd get the idea of Neptune. I see no point in undermining our spiritual development with outmoded concepts like theism. But you are right; the universe is of immense complexity; so is human consciousness. None of this is comparable to something just being washed up on a shoreline. There is a meaning to it. I just don't see why clinging to theism or personification is conducive to our development.
2007-12-17 23:01:02 · answer #2 · answered by Maya 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So when your deity shows up in the flesh we can talk. AND, if I found a watch in the forest I would have to conclude that someone lost it.
The only thing that is complex about your deity is the way you view it. It is not complex at all. It does not exist . That makes it easy to figure out. Nothing is nothing. Until you have substantial evidence - your evidence is no evidence at all.
2007-12-17 22:08:09 · answer #3 · answered by Tricia R 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Based on the complexity of your question - your mind was designed by God.
2007-12-17 22:08:32 · answer #4 · answered by Equinox 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One day the watch will stop ticking,as well as the human heart that created it....if man's ultimate acheivment was in the creation of "immortal God"...then we must depend on him for the resurrection of man.
2007-12-17 23:05:42 · answer #5 · answered by bonsai bobby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you comparing the whole universe to a measly watch? You really need to read a few more books on this subject.
2007-12-17 22:14:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd take God back to Walmart. He was probably made in China with faulty parts.
2007-12-17 22:04:32 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, but the idea was not well thought out, and there you have it: Unintelligent Design
2007-12-17 22:04:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Depends. Are we talking about Piaget here or Casio?
2007-12-17 22:29:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Nicely done! Yes, I think you have the truth!
2007-12-17 23:04:29 · answer #10 · answered by in a handbasket 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋