Arguments for the Existence of God (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Flashcards
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- FrontThe Design Argument
Define the design argument.
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Cards in this collection (42)
Define the design argument.
An argument for God's existence claiming the world appears designed, so someone (God) must have designed it — it rejects the idea we exist by random chance.
Give an example used to support the design argument.
Trees take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, and the Earth is perfectly placed in the solar system to support life — neither too close nor too far from the sun.
Which Bible verse do Christians link to the design argument?
Genesis 1:1: 'In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth' — supporting belief in a purposeful Creator.
How did Isaac Newton use the human body as evidence for God?
He argued unique fingerprints suggest a designer, saying 'the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence'.
What is William Paley's watch analogy?
Finding a complex watch on a moor, you'd conclude someone made it; Paley argued the same applies to the universe — its complexity points to a designer.
Define the Anthropic Principle.
The idea that the universe is finely tuned for life — even small changes in physical laws would make life impossible, suggesting deliberate design.
What is the aesthetic argument?
The idea that the unnecessary beauty in nature (sunsets, music, art) goes beyond survival, suggesting a loving, artistic Creator.
Define Intelligent Design.
A modern view that some features of the universe (e.g. DNA) are too complex to have evolved naturally and were intentionally created.
How does evolution challenge the design argument?
Darwin's theory of natural selection explains the appearance of design through science, without needing a designer.
How did David Hume object to the design argument?
He argued the universe is not necessarily like a machine (so Paley's watch analogy fails) and asked why a good God would design a world with suffering and imperfection.
What imperfections do atheists point to against the design argument?
Natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis), the suffering of animals, and the wastefulness of evolution (extinction) — inconsistent with a perfect, benevolent designer.
Define the 'God of the Gaps' objection.
The criticism that people attribute anything they can't yet explain to God; as science advances and fills the gaps, that need for God shrinks.
William ______ compared the design of the universe to finding a ______ on a moor.
William Paley compared the design of the universe to finding a watch on a moor.
True or False?
Intelligent Design is accepted as part of mainstream science.
False.
It is criticised by scientists as not testable or scientific and is often linked to creationist views.
Define the first cause (cosmological) argument.
The argument that everything in the universe has a cause, so the universe must have a first cause — believed to be God.
Define the uncaused cause.
God — a being with no beginning that does not depend on anything else, believed to have started everything in the universe.
Who developed the first cause argument, and in which book?
Thomas Aquinas, a 13th-century Christian philosopher, in his Summa Theologica.
What are Aquinas's first three of his 'Five Ways'?
Motion (God is the prime mover), Cause (God is the first cause), and Contingency (God is a necessary being).
Summarise Aquinas's argument from motion.
Everything in motion was moved by something else; nothing moves itself; there cannot be an infinite chain, so there must be a first mover — God.
Define a necessary being (contingency argument).
A being that must exist to bring everything else into being — unlike contingent things that depend on something else and could cease to exist. Aquinas said this is God.
The first cause argument states there cannot be an ______ chain of causes, so there must be a first cause.
The first cause argument states there cannot be an infinite chain of causes, so there must be a first cause.
What is the classic objection: 'if everything has a cause...'?
'...then what caused God?' — critics say God should not be an exception to the argument's own logic.
How did Bertrand Russell object to the first cause argument?
He argued the universe could be eternal — it just exists with no beginning — so there is no need for a first cause (God).
How does David Hume object to the first cause argument?
He said you cannot apply the rules of logic inside the universe to the universe as a whole — just because things in it have causes doesn't mean the universe does.
Even if there is a first cause, why might it not prove the Christian God?
The cause might not be conscious, loving or even still existing — the argument doesn't prove it is a personal God.
How might science object to the first cause argument?
The Big Bang explains how the universe began through natural causes (e.g. a quantum fluctuation), so many scientists say no divine being is needed.
True or False?
The first cause argument is also known as the cosmological argument.
True.
The first cause argument is the cosmological argument — both names refer to Aquinas's argument from cause.
Define a miracle.
An extraordinary event that appears to break the laws of nature and is attributed to a supernatural cause (such as God).
What are the three main types of miracle?
Healing miracles, miracles over nature, and rescue/provision miracles.
Give an example of a nature miracle from the Gospels.
Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35–41), or turning water into wine at Cana (John 2).
Set out the steps of the argument from miracles.
A miracle appears to break natural laws → if no natural explanation is possible, the cause must be supernatural → the best explanation is God → therefore God exists.
How did David Hume object to the argument from miracles?
Because miracles break the laws of nature, they are the least likely explanation; and people are often mistaken, biased or lying, so natural explanations are always more probable.
Why do 'contradictory claims across religions' weaken the miracles argument?
Different religions claim different miracles (Christians say they prove Jesus is divine; Muslims see signs from Allah) — they can't all be right, so it's hard to know which prove any God.
Give another objection to miracle claims besides unreliable testimony.
Events once seen as miracles now have scientific explanations, or they may simply be coincidence/luck rather than divine intervention.
Why are miracles significant for Christians?
They show God's power and compassion, prove Jesus is the Son of God, strengthen faith, and give a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.
What miracle do Muslims regard as the greatest of all?
The Qur'an — Allah's final revelation, believed to be perfect, unchangeable and inimitable; 'produce a surah like it' (Qur'an 2:23).
Define mu'jizat.
In Islam, miracles given to prophets by Allah to prove their truthfulness — performed through Allah's power, not the prophet's own.
Give an example of a prophet's miracle in Islam.
Musa (Moses) parting the Red Sea, Isa (Jesus) healing the sick with Allah's permission, or Muhammad's Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj).
Which Catholic pilgrimage site is associated with verified healing miracles?
Lourdes in France — with seventy verified miracles between 1858 and 2018.
For Muslims, a miracle can only happen by ______ will, not by human power or natural causes.
For Muslims, a miracle can only happen by Allah's will, not by human power or natural causes.
Why are many Muslims cautious about modern miracle claims?
Especially if not supported by the Qur'an or Hadith — some warn against exaggeration or false claims, and believe faith should not rest on miracles alone.
True or False?
Everyone agrees that miracles prove God exists.
False.
Opinion divides on religious vs scientific lines — sceptics say calling something a miracle expresses awe or ignorance, not proof of the supernatural.
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