March 5, 2024

By Muhammad Faiz

We tend to take things for granted and as is. We tend to forget the complexities and the varying degrees of variety and design in the world, which proves the existence of a God or a necessary being. The system of an ear and how it works is an example of a complex design. We know the different parts of the ear from the discoveries by scientists over time but science is actually only the study of observation of the cause and effect or regular associations. What it doesn’t complete is the fact that causes and effects are still contingent upon the necessary being.

Take for example the Pavlov’s experiment where food was fed to dogs after a bell was rung to create conditioning and regular associations. After countless repetition and conditioning, the dogs salivated immediately upon hearing the ring of the bell because it had associated the cause (the bell ringing) to the effect (food) even though food was not yet presented to the dogs. These are the regular contingent associations that we witness around us which can be suspended by the necessary being as He is Independent and the One who creates the cause and the effect.

In the ear itself, there are subsystems and different regions. And all of these regions/systems work together perfectly with the other parts of the body like the brains, muscles, etc. And this is only an small example of the whole universe within the human body which points towards the necessary being’s volition and knowledge to create many varieties and complex designs. When we examine at the complexity of these designs and the fact of their harmonious states of productivity, we can see the evidence and existence of a necessary volatile agent that points towards the existence of God.

The same is the case with variety; in this world, there are countless breeds of cats, dogs, rabbits, horses or animals in general. When we ponder more, it is also the same for humans. Living on earth, there are different races with different unique characteristics, be it eye colour, hair colour, height, facial features, etc. Even from disabled individuals, we witness the fact of variety and design. There are thus two logical arguments that one can derive from the variety and design around us to prove the existence of God aka the Necessary Being.

Variety in the Universe

Fact One: The universe displays great variety.
Fact Two: The necessary being either created the universe through its agency or produced the
universe involuntarily as a cause involuntarily produces its effect.
Fact Three: The variety in the universe could not have been produced by an involuntary cause.
= Therefore the necessary being created the universe through its agency.

Design in the Universe

Fact One: The universe displays great design.
Fact Two: The necessary being either created the universe through its agency or
produced the universe involuntarily as a cause involuntarily produces its effect.
Fact Three: The design in the universe could not have been produced by a
knowledgeless cause.
= Therefore the necessary being created the universe through its agency.

The complex intelligent design around us also points towards God being all knowing and all powerful. It cannot be involuntary due to the fact that there are great and numerous designs in terms of type and quantity. Thus it points toward the Necessary Being having four unique attributes of Agency:

The Four Attributes of Agency

(1) It is alive.
(2) It has knowledge of the possibilities that lie before it.
(3) It has volition and can choose
(4) It has power and can realize its choices

The Four Differences between Causes and Actions

Causes:
1) Are lifeless
2) Are involuntary
3) Cannot produce another effect
4) Have no skill or ability

While the above arguments are quite common among people to reach a conclusion about the existence of God, it is still necessary to prove that God is the sole necessary being by relating back to the Argument from Contingency (AFC) and to clearly distinguish the uniqueness of the Necessary Being’s attributes.