In This Famous Dialogue Philo (Who Reflects Hume's Views on the Subject)

question 14

True/False

In this famous dialogue Philo (who reflects Hume's views on the subject) gives us the classic critique of the argument from design. In the parts reproduced here, Cleanthes (the natural theologian) states the argument and asserts, "By this argument a posteriori, and by this argument alone, do we prove at once the existence of a Deity and his similarity to human mind and intelligence." Philo replies that the argument rests on an extremely weak analogy from which we can derive no more than a guess about a deity. The dissimilarities between the universe and a human-crafted machine are too great to draw the conclusion that Cleanthes seeks. We cannot, for example, draw a conclusion about the origin of the vast universe as a whole from a fact about the origin of a tiny part of the universe (a house or a ship, for instance). Furthermore, if we try to infer the nature of a Designer from facts about the natural world and human designers, we would have to conclude that the Designer may not be infinite (because the world is finite), may not be perfect (because nature is full of imperfections), and may not be single (because it is possible that the world was made by many deities).
-Philo declares that to multiply causes without necessity is contrary to true philosophy.

Grasp the mechanisms of proprioception and the types of proprioceptors involved in body movement and orientation

Recognize the types and functions of photopigments across different species

Understand the structure and function of the eye, including the roles of bipolar cells, ciliary muscle adjustments, and the implications of different types of eye evolution

Describe the sensory systems for chemoreception, including taste and olfaction, and their physiological processes

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Definitions:

Outflow

The movement of money out of a business or financial account, often associated with expenses or investments.

Payback Period

The length of time that it takes for a project to fully recover its initial cost out of the net cash inflows that it generates.

Working Capital

The amount of a company's current assets minus its current liabilities, indicating the short-term financial health and operational efficiency of a business.

Salvage Value

The projected value of an asset when it reaches the end of its operational life.