Single Idea 5707

[catalogued under 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / c. Teleological Proof critique]

Full Idea

The universe was certainly not created for us by divine power: it is so full of imperfections.

Gist of Idea

The universe can't have been created by gods, because it is too imperfect

Source

Lucretius (On the Nature of the Universe [c.60 BCE], II.180)

Book Reference

Lucretius: 'On the Nature of the Universe', ed/tr. Latham,Ronald [Penguin 1951], p.65


A Reaction

This is certainly a problem if God is 'supremely perfect', as Descartes proposed, because then the universe would also have to be supremely perfect. See Idea 2114 for a possible answer from Leibniz. Hume agrees with Epicurus about design.

Related Idea

Idea 2114 This is the most perfect possible universe, in its combination of variety with order [Leibniz]