Cleanthes therefore
concludes that the creator of nature is similar to the creator of the mind of
man. (p.60, par.1) In other words, because machines and the universe share
common characteristics and tendencies, it can be inferred from experience that
they share similar characteristics and come from similar causes. It’s reasonable
to conclude that Cleanthes comprehends the folly in believing that discovering
the natures of the universe and proving beyond the shadow of a doubt the
existence of a Supreme Being will end successfully. He is a man searching for
answers through the avenue most familiar and reasonable to himself. Believing in
mystery as opposed to measurable experience is not a logical or viable solution
to him. On the issue of comparing two events from experience, Philo contends
that the origin of the universe was a singular event of which man has no
experience, and therefore cannot compare it to anything such as a watch or a
house. (p. 66) This premise is true, but what needs to be taken into account
when studying the argument from design is that Cleanthes is referring to merely
a quality he believes the universe to hold, namely design, not the very nature
of its origin. To presume to understand from experience an event so beyond the
scope of logic granted to the human mind is absurd, but to ruminate on the
nature of such a creation is far more realistic. As Philo has said, humans are
presented with examples of design in the universe everyday. It is a natural
human inclination to postulate on phenomena beyond their comprehension through
tangible examples such as nature, the human mind, and the cosmos. There is a
scientific theory that appears to, in part, concur with Cleanthes’ argument from
design in assessing the nature of the universe. This theory is known as the
Anthropic Principle. There are variations within this principle, but the basic
foundation is this: New worlds are created with every particle interaction, and
with all these worlds (or universes), it is not unexpected that at least one is
ideally suited for life. Henceforth, the universe came into existence with the
“capability and tendency to evolve life, conscious and even self-conscious
creatures.”
This principle holds in common with the argument from design that,
inherent in the nature of the universe is a certain order that fosters the
perfect environment for intelligent life. Certainly, we cannot know to what
extent similar life forms exist beyond our own solar system, or even our own
universe for that matter. However, we do know that within our own solar system,
earth is the only planet perfectly suited, physically, for the generation of a
sustainable life form. Perhaps this is another example of examining the part in
an attempt to rationalize the whole, but we must use examples of things that we
know to be true to analyze things we know nothing about. It is true that many of
those who believe some variation of the Anthropic Principle deem it logical to
presume from its premises that a pre-existing God that we cannot observe is
responsible for the universe and the order within. This is certainly an unsound
conclusion, but the idea of believing something that we cannot observe is what
faith is all about. This is not an attempt to avoid responsibility in supporting
an argument that falls short in proving the existence of God. On the contrary,
one must conclude that logical reasoning can only take the human mind as far as
an experience of the subject matter will allow. Surely man would love to know
how and why he arrived here and who is responsible, but without experience of
this phenomenon, he will never know for sure. Cleanthes’ argument from design is
an attempt by a man to come to grips with an incomprehensible event through
human faculties of both science and religious faith. He may have fallen short of
proving the existence of a Christian God, if that was even his original intent,
but Cleanthes’ does present a very intelligent and persuasive argument in favor
of a universe based on order and design.
Words: 1437
