چكيده لاتين
This research examines and critiques naturalistic theories that seek to refute or undermine the argument from design (also known as the teleological argument). The argument from design is one of the most important and common arguments for the existence of an intelligent designer in the universe. In contrast, scientific naturalism attempts to explain the emergence and order of the universe without the need for a creator, based on natural laws and theories such as the theory of evolution, parallel universes, M-theory, etc. Naturalism, in its methodological form, recommends limiting explanations of natural phenomena to natural causes, and in its ontological form, seeks to eliminate any supernatural identity. One of the factors that contributed to the growth of naturalism and gave great impetus to the naturalistic movement was Darwin’s theory of evolution. Naturalists such as Dawkins insist that the mechanism of natural selection, which is the driving force of evolution, is an unplanned and unguided mechanism. Accordingly, they consider the existence of God and the argument from design to be incorrect assumptions based on gaps in empirical knowledge. In this thesis, we have shown that many criticisms can be leveled at Dawkins’ view, which challenge his claim. These criticisms include: irreducible complexity and intelligent design, explanatory inadequacies of natural selection, the non-conflict of natural selection with the teleological nature of the world, and the limitations of natural science. Stephen Hawking, inspired by some results of quantum mechanics, also believes that the material world as a whole came into being from “nothing” spontaneously and by physical laws. Hawking’s view has also faced many challenges. The most important of these is that Hawking mistakenly establishes a direct relationship between proving the existence of God and the temporality of the world, while this is not the case. In addition, the limitations of natural science and the challenges of M-theory are other criticisms of Hawking’s view. In this research, using descriptive-analytical method and library studies, we have analyzed and criticized the views of Dawkins and Hawking against the argument from design, and we have shown that the discussion of the existence or absence of God is a philosophical discussion and beyond scientific explanations. Science, in the sense of empirical knowledge, expresses the relationships between the phenomena of the world and how they come into being; therefore, it can be said that the argument from design in contemporary theology is still valid and, despite the existing challenges from naturalistic approaches, can still be considered a successful argument.
