Nachman Krochmal and the Argument from Design

Robert Elliott Allinson

Titles

Abstract

For the nineteenth century Jewish Galician philosopher, Nachman Krochmal (1785-1840), the argument from design is the most powerful argument in Jewish literature. This paper is separated into seven parts, each of which aims to give the reader a better understanding of the argument from design. In each part, the argument is compared and contrasted with other arguments for and against the existence of G-d from classical Western philosophers up until current writers. Historical and contemporary objections to the argument from design are shown to be based upon philosophical misunderstandings. The thesis of this article is that the argument from design remains the most powerful argument for the existence of G-d. In addition, in contrast to other arguments for the existence of G-d, such as the ontological arguments, it is the metaphysical argument that is closest to the nature of the G-d of worship of the Jewish religion.

Keywords

Argument from Design, Spinoza, Deism, Kant, internal final causes, Darwinian evolution, Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, the Hebrew Bible, Krochmal, ontological argument, causal ontological argument

References

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Information

Information: Scripta Judaica Cracoviensia, 2017, Volume 15, pp. 127 - 139

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/20843925SJ.17.009.8178

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:

Nachman Krochmal and the Argument from Design

English:

Nachman Krochmal and the Argument from Design

Authors

Robert Elliott Allinson

Soka University of America, USA

Published at: 15.03.2018

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Robert Elliott Allinson (Author) - 100%

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English

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