Abstract

The design argument is an argument for the existence of God proceeding from the premise that many aspects of our universe look as if they were designed. I contrast the argument's strongest manifestations from the 18th century to the present against David Hume's criticisms from his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. It is demonstrated that no version of the argument to date survives the polemic contained therein. Finally, I examine an attempt to turn the design argument into an argument for the non-existence of God and demonstrate that even though the attempt is a failure, the prospects for the design argument's success in theistic circles is further weakened. ;Chapter I is concerned with exposition and evaluation of the arguments of Hume's Dialogues. Eight general lines of criticism are identified. Various attempts at rebuttal are examined and found to be generally lacking in force. ;Chapters II through V evaluate the general cogency and ability to withstand Humean criticisms of four post-Humean design arguments. The arguments addressed are those of William Paley, F. R. Tennent, Richard Swinburne, and the so-called "fine-tuning" design argument defended by John Leslie, M. A. Corey, and others. While other objections are considered, it is argued that Hume's objections, or slight modifications thereof, are nonetheless damaging against even the most sophisticated of such arguments. ;Chapter VI shifts gears and examines Wesley Salmon's attempt to build upon Hume's insights and turn the design argument into an argument for the non-existence of God. Salmon argues that Hume's objections not only show that the considerations appealed to by defenders of the design argument fail to support theism but that they actually support atheism. Salmon's attempt at reconstruction is judged to fall prey to Humean objections itself, as well as being plagued with other difficulties. Nonetheless, it is argued that the design argument supports an atheistic conclusion insofar as it supports anything at all and that its prospects for success in theistic circles is thereby weakened still further