The Teleological and Kalam Cosmological Arguments Revisited

This book presents an original deductive formulation of the Teleological Argument (TA) and demonstrates that the only possible categories of hypotheses concerning fine-tuning and order are (i) chance, (ii) regularity, (iii) combinations of regularity and chance, (iv) uncaused, and (v) design. It also combines the TA with the Kalam Cosmological Argument (KCA) to respond to the God-of-the-gaps objection, demonstrating that the conclusion of the KCA-TA follows from deduction and exclusion.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 387 pages
Publication date: 04 May 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

A central concern in the ongoing debates within contemporary philosophy of religion revolves around the question of whether the universe possesses a Designer. To address this issue, this book takes a novel approach by presenting an original deductive formulation of the Teleological Argument (TA), which aims to establish the sole possible categories of hypotheses regarding fine-tuning and order. These categories include:

Chance: This hypothesis suggests that the universe's existence and its intricate order are purely coincidental, resulting from a random process devoid of any guiding intelligence or purpose.
Regularity: This hypothesis posits that the universe exhibits a regular pattern of behavior, driven by natural laws and processes that have been in place since the beginning of time.
Combinations of Regularity and Chance: This category recognizes that the universe may contain elements of both regularity and chance, with certain aspects of the universe following predictable patterns while others are governed by chance.
Uncaused: This hypothesis suggests that the universe emerged from nothingness, without any external force or intervention.
Design: This hypothesis proposes that the universe's existence and its intricate order are the result of a conscious and intelligent Designer, who created the universe according to a specific plan or purpose.

Furthermore, this book demonstrates that each of these categories possesses essential features that distinguish it from the others. While the alternatives to design may appear unlikely, the Design Hypothesis is not without merit. It is possible to argue for design by exclusion, without having to assign a prior probability for design. By combining the TA with the Kalam Cosmological Argument (KCA), which it defends against various objections, this book responds to the God-of-the-gaps objection. It shows that the conclusion of the KCA-TA does not rely on gaps that can be filled by further scientific progress but rather follows from deduction and exclusion.

This book is available for free online access, making it accessible to a wide audience interested in exploring the philosophical implications of the existence of a Designer in the universe.

Weight: 526g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030944056
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022