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Single Idea 21332

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

Full Idea

Even the love of 'order' which is thought to be a following of the ways of nature is in fact a contradiction of them. All which people are accustomed to deprecate as 'disorder' is precisely a counterpart of nature's ways.

Gist of Idea

We don't get a love of 'order' from nature - which is thoroughly chaotic

Source

John Stuart Mill (Nature and Utility of Religion [1874], p.116)

Book Ref

'The Existence of God', ed/tr. Hick,John [Macmillan 1964], p.116


A Reaction

The Greeks elevated the idea that the cosmos was orderly, but almost entirely based on the regular movement of the planets. They turned a blind eye to the messy bits of nature. As you magnify nature, order and chaos seem to alternate.


The 8 ideas from 'Nature and Utility of Religion'

Belief that an afterlife is required for justice is an admission that this life is very unjust [Mill]
Nature dispenses cruelty with no concern for either mercy or justice [Mill]
Killing is a human crime, but nature kills everyone, and often with great tortures [Mill]
Nature makes childbirth a miserable experience, often leading to the death of the mother [Mill]
Hurricanes, locusts, floods and blight can starve a million people to death [Mill]
We don't get a love of 'order' from nature - which is thoroughly chaotic [Mill]
Evil comes from good just as often as good comes from evil [Mill]
No necessity ties an omnipotent Creator, so he evidently wills human misery [Mill]