Philosophy A-Level
Hume's critique of the design analogy
What Hume's critique of the design analogy means in Philosophy A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of Hume's critique of the design analogy
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Reference: AQA
The design argument reasons from a single unique case, the universe, to a cause, a designer, and so cannot establish the analogy with human artefacts reliably.
Topics that use Hume's critique of the design analogy
- Arguments relating to the existence of God (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Actual versus potential infinity
- Agency and causation as the distinguishing criterion
- Analogical and inductive reasoning
- Anselm's argument and its revival by Malcolm
- Argument from analogy
- Atemporal causation
- Cleanthes's design inference
- Conceivability and possibility
Using Hume's critique of the design analogy in the exam
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