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William Paley (1743-1805) argues for the existence of God as the intelligent creator of the world in this, his last book, published in 1802. He builds on early modern natural theology including the works of John Ray, William Derham, and Bernard Nieuwentyt, and most of his examples are taken from medicine and natural history. Paley uses analogy and metaphors, including a particularly well-written version of the 'watchmaker analogy', to prove that the world is designed and sustained by God. This sixth edition also contains a detailed bibliography, appendices on Paley's courses, and background notes on key figures. It was an influential best-seller throughout the nineteenth century, read by theologians and scientists alike, and reprinted in cheap editions for the middle classes. It inspired many nineteenth-century works on natural theology, including the Bridgewater Treatises (which also appear in this series), and is a landmark of Western thought.… (more)
User reviews
Paley's book is most famous for its opening and prevailing image-- the watch. Any who would find a
One striking thing about the book is just how much more we understand about the natural world since the beginning of the 1800s. Most of what is written, beyond any scientific misunderstandings that do not change any of the arguments, would be agreed upon scientific explanation to this day. The challenge involves the interpretations that Paley provides for the origin of the creatures.
Although written long before Darwin's treatise on origin by evolution by natural selection, the book casts light on the real issue in the disputation. The actual scientific evidence is not the issue-- the model into which the evidence is understood and interpreted is the issue. Models have their failings.
If one is interested in the history of natural theology, or the backdrop to the scientific disputations of the 19th and 20th centuries, this is a great place to go.