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Religion

skepticscott

(13,029 posts)

39. The watchmaker argument is very simple

Reply to Jim__ (Reply #35)

Thu May 23, 2013, 10:22 PM

May 2013

"I can't see how X could have arisen naturally, therefore there must be a watchmaker/creator/etc. that brought it about" That's exactly the (deeply flawed) argument Flew is making.

As I said, come back when you understand it.

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How the World's Most Noted Atheist Changed His Mind [View all] rug May 2013 OP

Actual WMFA during that period: Bertrand Russell. dimbear May 2013 #1

I am not surprised by the use of "notorious" here. longship May 2013 #2

That's a very good point I hadn't considered. The headline works perfectly well without it. rug May 2013 #3

"Noted" would work. nt longship May 2013 #4

Argh, I just put in "famous' but "noted" is more precise. rug May 2013 #6

Another post with 18 edits... longship May 2013 #7

THANK you! (nt) LostOne4Ever May 2013 #18

Interesting, and not very surprising. Starboard Tack May 2013 #5

Apparently DNA was one of his intellectual turning points. rug May 2013 #9

Bad arguments are bad Act_of_Reparation May 2013 #14

So another idiot skepticscott May 2013 #8

He is an idiot because he believes now? hrmjustin May 2013 #13

No. He's an idiot because the argument from design is patently stupid. Act_of_Reparation May 2013 #20

Exactly...and Flew knows that perfectly well skepticscott May 2013 #24

"Some critics suggested Flew's mental capacity had declined ..." Jim__ May 2013 #10

Except he fell for the watchmaker argument. Goblinmonger May 2013 #21

He did not "fall for the watchmaker argument." Jim__ May 2013 #22

Uh....that IS the watchmaker argument, dude skepticscott May 2013 #25

No, actually it isn't. Jim__ May 2013 #33

It happens to be both skepticscott May 2013 #34

If you're claiming that Flew is making an analogical argument, please point to the analogy. Jim__ May 2013 #35

The watchmaker argument is very simple skepticscott May 2013 #39

I don't even know where to start Goblinmonger May 2013 #36

There is a vast difference between stating the earth was created as literally described in the Bible rug May 2013 #37

The watchmaker argument is analogical, his argument is not. Jim__ May 2013 #38

So, he progressed to deism. LiberalAndProud May 2013 #11

Not really kwassa May 2013 #23

the argument from complexity for the existence of an 'intelligent source'.. Phillip McCleod May 2013 #12

The Exploitation of Anthony Flew dimbear May 2013 #15

From the link SecularMotion May 2013 #17

This! LostOne4Ever May 2013 #19

He sounded positively addled. rug May 2013 #30

... He thought he saw a argument that proved he was the Pope. He looked again and found it was struggle4progress May 2013 #16

I agree with him on the complexity argument goldent May 2013 #26

Only 60 years? exboyfil May 2013 #28

Well I guess artificial intelligence has been studied more than 60 years goldent May 2013 #29

I am not an atheist but I think that it exboyfil May 2013 #27

what did he write? sigmasix May 2013 #31

Quite a bit. rug May 2013 #32