PSYC-115 FA5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Special Creation, Omnipotence, Photosynthesis
13 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
March 9, 2018
Lecture 14: Nature: Role of the Gene
●Historical analysis:
○The beginning
■The origins of life:
●The Religious Perspective (1700s)
○Special creation- all creatures specially created by God
(from the smallest and simplest to the largest and most
complex)
■Great chain of being- from smallest/simplest (cells)
to most complex (humans then angels)
■Echelle des etres
■Scala naturae- scale of nature
■Ladder of Perfection
○Evidence
■Variation- treat the planet like a canvas; nature and
variation of life is evidence of God’s creation
●Bacteria: microscopic, unicellular,
prokaryotic, asexual
● Protista: primarily unicellular, eukaryotes,
asexual or sexual
● Fungi: multicellular, eukaryotic, sexual and
asexual, don’t photosynthesize
● Planta: invariably multicellular, eukaryotic,
asexual and sexual
● Animalia: multicellular, eukaryotic, sexual
and asexual, oxygen respiration
■Fit- animal’s appearance and behavior were perfect
for the environment in which it lived. This showed
evidence of a perfect design by an omnipotent and
omnipresent creator
○William Paley- argued that God’s existence could be
inferred from the designs seen in biology. He said that if
one were walking and came upon a watch, one would not
assume that it was the product of nature. It must have been
designed by an intelligent being. Likewise, Paley said that
the designs seen in biology must be the result of an
intelligent Designer.
Document Summary
Special creation- all creatures specially created by god (from the smallest and simplest to the largest and most complex) Great chain of being- from smallest/simplest (cells) to most complex (humans then angels) Variation- treat the planet like a canvas; nature and variation of life is evidence of god"s creation. Protista: primarily unicellular, eukaryotes, asexual or sexual. Fungi: multicellular, eukaryotic, sexual and asexual, don"t photosynthesize. Planta: invariably multicellular, eukaryotic, asexual and sexual. Animalia: multicellular, eukaryotic, sexual and asexual, oxygen respiration. Fit- animal"s appearance and behavior were perfect for the environment in which it lived. This showed evidence of a perfect design by an omnipotent and omnipresent creator. William paley- argued that god"s existence could be inferred from the designs seen in biology. He said that if one were walking and came upon a watch, one would not assume that it was the product of nature. It must have been designed by an intelligent being.
