Douglas Groothuis
Defending Christian Faith, October 5, 2004
part 1
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands
(Psalm 19:1)
I.
Design and Cosmological Arguments Compared
A. Both are empirical arguments (a posteriori)
B. Design appeals to more involved aspects of nature; delivers divine intelligence
C. Cosmological appeals to causation, contingency, explanation; delivers divine power
II.
The Basic Form of Design Arguments
A. The universe and the objects in it show signs of intelligent design
B. These signs are better explained by (1) actual design (intelligence) than by (2) merely natural factors
III.
Types of Design to Which to Appeal
A. Order
B. Purpose
C. Simplicity
D. Complexity
E. Beauty: nonliving, animal, human
F. Sensation and Cognition