Unit 9: Lesson 1

• Godsdienst
• Middelbare school
• mavo
• Leerjaar 3

Unit 9 Philosophy

A3b

2024 - 2025

Lesson 1

Objectives

You will..

• know what philosophy means
• know what the argument from design tries to prove.
• understand why some people agree with this argument and some do not.
• evaluate how succesfull this arguments is at proving the existence of God.

What do you think philosophy is?

Assignment

In pairs discuss how would you find out that:

1. how many different insects lived in a particular area of grassland?
2. how to harness more of the Sun’s energy?
3. if human beings have free will or not?
4. if there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?
5. if life has a purpose?
6. whether or not there is life after death?

Assignment

In pairs discuss how would you find out that:

1. how many different insects lived in a particular area of grassland?
2. how to harness more of the Sun’s energy?
3. if human beings have free will or not?
4. if there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?
5. if life has a purpose?
6. whether or not there is life after death?

Blue: by collecting data and analysis

Purple: by debate and argument. These are philosophy questions.

Philosophy

Philosophy is about trying to explain big questions using reason, logic and arguments. 

How successful a philosopher is depends on how logical they are. They can be disproved by finding problems with their logic.

The Design argument

William Paley

- Watch: complicated mechanism and specific

   purpose

- Human eye: extremely complicated and has a

  specific job

- So, God must exist

You ask yourself, “Where did this watch come from?”

You look at the mechanisms of the watch and see how complicated it is, and how it has a specific purpose.

You realise unlike the rock, the watch couldn’t just be there by chance. It was designed by someone.

Activity

1. Put the cards into two columns.
2. Cards which support the design argument
3. Cards which challenge the design argument
   
4. Give each card a mark out of 10 for how good an argument you think it is.

You ask yourself, “Where did this watch come from?”

You look at the mechanisms of the watch and see how complicated it is, and how it has a specific purpose.

You realise unlike the rock, the watch couldn’t just be there by chance. It was designed by someone.

Counter arguments

Listen to the rest of the video and note down the counter arguments.

You ask yourself, “Where did this watch come from?”

You look at the mechanisms of the watch and see how complicated it is, and how it has a specific purpose.

You realise unlike the rock, the watch couldn’t just be there by chance. It was designed by someone.

What's your opinion on the desing argument?

Homework

To study page 246 - 247

To do Activities 2 & 7 page 247 

You ask yourself, “Where did this watch come from?”

You look at the mechanisms of the watch and see how complicated it is, and how it has a specific purpose.

You realise unlike the rock, the watch couldn’t just be there by chance. It was designed by someone.

"The design argument makes it difficult to deny the existence of God.”

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