Philo says, "If we see a house, Cleanthes, we conclude, with the greatest certainty, that it had an architect or builder, because this is precisely that species of effect, which we have experienced to proceed from that species of cause. But surely you will not affirm, that the universe bears such a resemblance to a house." Philo's point is that ...
A) we can with the same certainty infer the existence of God.
B) the difference between a house and the universe is too great for the analogy to work.
C) the architect of both the house and the universe must be God.
D) Cleanthes is giving an a priori argument that is deductively invalid.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Philo is arguing that the analogy between a house and the universe is not strong enough to make a definitive inference about the existence of a creator or designer. Therefore, he is rejecting Cleanthes' argument that we can infer the existence of God based on the observation of design in the universe.

Philo Says, "If We See a House, Cleanthes, We Conclude