The Other Teleolgocial Argument

I now introduce what I call the “other Teleological Argument”. This can also be called the real “Teleological Argument”. Teleological comes from the Greek word telos which means end or purpose. Teleological Arguments look at how things they have a purpose and work toward an end. The truth of this points us that something is pulling things to and end. The best example comes from Thomas Aquinas' 5th way in the real sense of being an argument being “teleological”. Paley's Teleological argument I presented in the last post inthe series is really specific type of cosmological argument but has become to be known as “The Teleological Argument”. Here is Thomas Aquinas' 5th the "real" teleological argument:

“The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things lack knowledge, such as natural bodies, act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result. Hence it is plain that they achieve their end, not fortuitously, but designedly. Now whatever lacks knowledge cannot move towards an end, unless it is directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is directed by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God (Robinson 35).”

This argument may not be the simplest to understand so I am going to try to illustrate it with an example. I also hope that my illustration will not undermine the argument with my poor ability to illustrate it. Lets take a seed. The seed has no natural intelligence to become a flower (or what ever else a seed will become). But a seed will ultimately become a flower. (Assuming its planted) How does that seed know it is supposed to grow and become a flower. Why does the seed not just stay a seed a in the ground why does it move forward towards its end becoming a flower? How does the seed know thats what it is supposed to do with its own intelligence telling it “Ok now I need to spout, and have petals, and grow.” The seed is moving to its telos or purpose. Why does it do that? Because it is being governed to do so by God. I am going to admit that my illustration is not perfect but what I want it to show is that things work to end. The things that draw them to the end is God.