WILLIAM PALEYWILLIAM PALEY1743 - 18051743 - 1805

"If we received a single intelligent signal "If we received a single intelligent signal containing information from space then we containing information from space then we would conclude that there is intelligent life out would conclude that there is intelligent life out there. Each cell in the human body contains there. Each cell in the human body contains more information than in all thirty volumes of more information than in all thirty volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. It's certainly the Encyclopaedia Britannica. It's certainly reasonable to make the inference that this isn't reasonable to make the inference that this isn't the random product of unguided nature, but it's the random product of unguided nature, but it's the unmistakable sign of an Intelligent the unmistakable sign of an Intelligent Designer." Designer." Walter Bradley, quoted in Walter Bradley, quoted in The Case for FaithThe Case for Faith by Lee Strobel, p110 by Lee Strobel, p110

(The human genome, has 80,000 genes arranged in 3 billion DNA molecule pairs.)(The human genome, has 80,000 genes arranged in 3 billion DNA molecule pairs.)

Another modern version of Paley's watch is Another modern version of Paley's watch is the 'the 'AnthropicAnthropic Principle Principle', the fact that the ', the fact that the physical constants of the universe are 'just physical constants of the universe are 'just right' to support life - the universe 'appears' right' to support life - the universe 'appears' designed to support life. In other words the designed to support life. In other words the universe is not just the result of chance. universe is not just the result of chance.

Paley laid out a full exposition of natural Paley laid out a full exposition of natural theology, the belief that the nature of God theology, the belief that the nature of God could be understood by reference to His could be understood by reference to His creation, the natural world. He introduced one creation, the natural world. He introduced one of the most famous metaphors in the of the most famous metaphors in the philosophy of science, the image of the philosophy of science, the image of the watchmaker: . . . watchmaker: . . .

when we come to inspect the watch, we perceive. . . when we come to inspect the watch, we perceive. . . that its several parts are framed and put together for a that its several parts are framed and put together for a purpose, e.g. that they are so formed and adjusted as purpose, e.g. that they are so formed and adjusted as to produce motion, and that motion so regulated as to to produce motion, and that motion so regulated as to point out the hour of the day; that if the different parts point out the hour of the day; that if the different parts had been differently shaped from what they are, or had been differently shaped from what they are, or placed after any other manner or in any other order placed after any other manner or in any other order than that in which they are placed, either no motion at than that in which they are placed, either no motion at all would have been carried on in the machine, or all would have been carried on in the machine, or none which would have answered the use that is now none which would have answered the use that is now served by it. . . . the inference we think is inevitable, served by it. . . . the inference we think is inevitable, that the watch must have had a maker -- that there that the watch must have had a maker -- that there must have existed, at some time and at some place or must have existed, at some time and at some place or other, an artificer or artificers who formed it for the other, an artificer or artificers who formed it for the purpose which we find it actually to answer, who purpose which we find it actually to answer, who comprehended its construction and designed its use.comprehended its construction and designed its use.

Living organisms, Paley argued, are even more Living organisms, Paley argued, are even more complicated than watches, "in a degree which complicated than watches, "in a degree which exceeds all computation." How else to account exceeds all computation." How else to account for the often amazing adaptations of animals for the often amazing adaptations of animals and plants? Only an intelligent Designer could and plants? Only an intelligent Designer could have created them, just as only an intelligent have created them, just as only an intelligent watchmaker can make a watch: watchmaker can make a watch:

The marks of design are too strong to be got The marks of design are too strong to be got over. Design must have had a designer. That over. Design must have had a designer. That designer must have been a person. That person designer must have been a person. That person is GOD. is GOD.

The origin of the Big Bang theory can be The origin of the Big Bang theory can be credited to Edwin Hubble. Hubble made the credited to Edwin Hubble. Hubble made the observation that the universe is continuously observation that the universe is continuously expanding. He discovered that a galaxys velocity expanding. He discovered that a galaxys velocity is proportional to its distance. Galaxies that are is proportional to its distance. Galaxies that are twice as far from us move twice as fast. Another twice as far from us move twice as fast. Another consequence is that the universe is expanding in consequence is that the universe is expanding in every direction. This observation means that it every direction. This observation means that it has taken every galaxy the same amount of time has taken every galaxy the same amount of time to move from a common starting position to its to move from a common starting position to its current position. Just as the Big Bang provided current position. Just as the Big Bang provided for the foundation of the universe, Hubbles for the foundation of the universe, Hubbles observations provided for the foundation of the observations provided for the foundation of the Big Bang theory.Big Bang theory.

Since the Big Bang, the universe has been Since the Big Bang, the universe has been continuously expanding and, thus, there has continuously expanding and, thus, there has been more and more distance between clusters been more and more distance between clusters of galaxies. This phenomenon of galaxies of galaxies. This phenomenon of galaxies moving farther away from each other is known moving farther away from each other is known as the red shift. As light from distant galaxies as the red shift. As light from distant galaxies approach earth there is an increase of space approach earth there is an increase of space between earth and the galaxy, which leads to between earth and the galaxy, which leads to wavelengths being stretched.  wavelengths being stretched. 

The Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang Theory Representation of the universe according to Representation of the universe according to

inflationary cosmology.inflationary cosmology. The Big Bang Theory is the dominant scientific The Big Bang Theory is the dominant scientific

theory about the origin of the universe. theory about the origin of the universe. According to the big bang, the universe was According to the big bang, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter and in all directions. hurled matter and in all directions.

Although the Big Bang Theory is widely Although the Big Bang Theory is widely accepted, it probably will never be accepted, it probably will never be proved; consequentially, leaving a proved; consequentially, leaving a number of tough, unanswered questions.number of tough, unanswered questions.

The big bang was initially suggested The big bang was initially suggested because it explains why distant galaxies because it explains why distant galaxies are traveling away from us at great speeds. are traveling away from us at great speeds. The theory also predicts the existence of The theory also predicts the existence of cosmic background radiation (the glow left cosmic background radiation (the glow left over from the explosion itself). The Big over from the explosion itself). The Big Bang Theory received its strongest Bang Theory received its strongest confirmation when this radiation was confirmation when this radiation was discovered in 1964 by Arno Penzias and discovered in 1964 by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, who later won the Nobel Robert Wilson, who later won the Nobel Prize for this discovery.Prize for this discovery.

In 1927, the Belgian priest Georges Lemaître In 1927, the Belgian priest Georges Lemaître was the first to propose that the universe began was the first to propose that the universe began with the explosion of a primeval atom. His with the explosion of a primeval atom. His proposal came after observing the red shift in proposal came after observing the red shift in distant nebulas by astronomers to a model of the distant nebulas by astronomers to a model of the universe based on relativity. Years later, Edwin universe based on relativity. Years later, Edwin Hubble found experimental evidence to help Hubble found experimental evidence to help justify Lemaître's theory. He found that distant justify Lemaître's theory. He found that distant galaxies in every direction are going away from galaxies in every direction are going away from us with speeds proportional to their distance.us with speeds proportional to their distance.