Zasada celowości w argumentacji za istnieniem Boga

Paley's argument is the most famous version of argumentation for God's existence from intelligent design and an often commented example of teleological reasoning. Referring to an analogy of the subtle alignment of a watch, it presents complex organs of living beings as deliberately designed and tuned. This proves the existence of an Intelligent Designer. Paley's argument has been much criticized. The analogy of the watch has been shown as imperfect and suggestions have been put forward for other than teleological explanation of the biological facts on which it is premised. Similar objections were directed against other teleological arguments, also against the fifth way of Thomas Aquinas. The fifth way is based, however, on another - the Aristotelian, understanding of finality. The Aristotle's theory is not based on finality understood as an external principle harmonizing and organizing the various components together, but on finality comprised as built into the internal structure of all things (nature), causing its tendency to act in basically the same way to a corresponding goal-end. In his reasoning, Thomas does not start with the subtle alignment of the elements of nature, but from the natural tendency to ordered by nature intentional activity. The existence of these trends leads to the recognition of the existence of the Absolute Intellect, whose operation does not organize reality but it creates reality in its whole natural structure. The course of the arguments allows Thomas to avoid the error of deism and occasionalism in determining the relationship of God to the world.