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Single Idea 18979

[from 'Pragmatism - eight lectures' by William James, in 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / c. Teleological Proof critique ]

Full Idea

The parts of things must always make some definite resultant, be it chaotic or harmonious. When we look at what has actually come, the conditions must always appear perfectly designed to ensure it.

Gist of Idea

Things with parts always have some structure, so they always appear to be designed

Source

William James (Pragmatism - eight lectures [1907], Lec 3)

Book Reference

James,William: 'Pragmatism - eight lectures' [Dover 1995], p.44


A Reaction

In so far as the design argument is an analogy with human affairs, we can't deny that high levels of order suggest an organising mind, and mere chaos suggests a coincidence of unco-ordinated forces.