What are key differences between the ontological, teleological, and cosmological arguments? Identify the philosopher who you think best supports his or her argument. Explain your answer briefly.
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http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~stanlick/complgodoutline.html
The ontological, teleological, and cosmological arguments are three well-known arguments for the existence of God in philosophy of religion. Each argument takes a different approach and has distinct characteristics.
1. The ontological argument: This argument starts with the concept of God as a perfect being and argues that the very concept of God implies His existence. The ontological argument is often associated with the philosopher St. Anselm of Canterbury, who proposed it in the 11th century.
2. The teleological argument: Also known as the argument from design, this argument observes the order, complexity, and purpose in the universe as evidence for the existence of an intelligent designer. It suggests that the presence of design implies the existence of a designer. One well-known supporter of the teleological argument is William Paley, an 18th-century philosopher.
3. The cosmological argument: This argument starts with the existence of contingent things in the universe (things that could have not existed) and concludes that there must be a necessary being (something that must exist and cannot not exist) that explains their existence. The cosmological argument has different variations, including the Kalam cosmological argument by Muslim philosopher Al-Ghazali and revived by William Lane Craig, as well as the Leibnizian cosmological argument by philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
Choosing the best philosopher who supports their argument is subjective and depends on one's personal perspective. However, philosophers like Immanuel Kant and David Hume have presented critiques against these arguments. Kant argued that the ontological and cosmological arguments rely on questionable assumptions, while Hume criticized the teleological argument by highlighting the limitations of inferring a designer from the order in the universe.
In summary, the ontological argument focuses on the concept of God, the teleological argument emphasizes design in the universe, and the cosmological argument explores the existence of a necessary being. The philosophers associated with each argument have presented their justifications and counter-arguments, making it a topic of ongoing debate in philosophy of religion.