Weinberg's A Designer Universe

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Weinberg's A Designer Universe

The phenomenon of the creation of the universe has baffled many for some time. The question of whether or not a designer/God put together this most intricate world in a personal quest or project leaves many in great debate. Was life brought about by some evolutionary feat? Or, in opposition, did an intelligent being create life with perfection in mind? Both questions can be answered in many different ways. Steven Weinberg, writer of A Designer Universe, offers his thoughts, through abduction, regarding the likelihood of a designer creating the universe.

Such an abduction, in which Weinberg expresses his opinion, relies on premises or declarative statements that the conclusion proves most unsurprising, or to the best explanation. An example of such an argument would be: (premises) A trunk provides support, Branches and leaves make up it’s body, leaves change color with the seasons…(conclusion) “It” must be a tree. The conclusion makes the premises most unsurprising. One would guess that if “It” must be a tree, all of the premises would exist.

Weinberg offers two excellent arguments against the Design Theory. This theory suggests that if a “designer” created the universe it would thus be perfect. For example, if a watch were found on the beach, one would know that a designer created it because it is a finely tuned machine in which all parts work perfectly together. However, if a rock was found, one could guess that a designe...

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