Week 9: Paley, Natural Theology Chapters 1-6, and Darwin, On the Origin of Species, Chapter 6, Section on "Organs of Extreme Perfection"

  1. (Paley, Chapters 1 and 2): In Chapters 1 and 2, Paley discusses the case of the watch without any reference to biological design. In the case of the watch, can you reconstruct Paley’s inference from the properties of the watch to the existence of a watchmaker? Is it a good inference in this case?
  2. (Paley, Chapter 3):

    (a) In Chapter 3, Paley develops a detailed analogy between the eye and a telescope. Discuss this analogy. Is it a good analogy? What are the most important points? What conclusion does Paley want us to draw from the comparison?

    (b) Darwin considers the same analogy in Chapter 6 of the Origin (see the section on “Organs of Extreme Perfection”. What is Darwin’s answer to Paley? Is it a convincing answer?