The Works of William Paley, vol. 1
Overview
One of the most influential Christian philosophers of his day, William Paley possessed exceptional reasoning and writing abilities which are best on display in The Works of William Paley (4 vols.). Known primarily for his contributions in ethics, philosophy, and natural theology, many of his works were used as textbooks at Cambridge, being widely used even until the 1920s.
This volume contains an extensive 260-page biography, detailing William Paley’s upbringing as the son of an Anglican clergyman to his rise to fame as a leading scholar and philosopher of his day.
Also included is Paley’s most important work, Natural Theology. Paley’s famous Watchmaker Analogy serves as the introduction to his in-depth treatise on the teleological argument for the existence of God. Anyone who is studying or interested in apologetics, especially the ontological arguments, should begin here. Throughout the work he argues that the complexity of the created order stands as demonstrable proof for the existence of a creator. In his autobiography, Charles Darwin famously stated that Paley’s Natural Theology was one of cornerstones of his education.
With the Logos Bible Software edition, this volume is fully integrated with the other resources in your Logos library, including Bibles, dictionaries, and numerous other Bible study tools. The Logos edition also allows you to perform powerful searches and word studies, and scripture references are linked to the wealth of language resources in your digital library. This makes The Works of William Paley more powerful and easier to access than ever before for reading, sermon preparation, research, and Bible study.
Key Features
- Describes the Watchmaker Analogy, an important apologist argument
- Includes a detailed biography of Paley
Contents
- Natural Theology
- State of the Argument
- State of the Argument continued
- Application of the Argument
- On the Succession of Plants and Animals
- Application of the Argument continued
- The Argument Cumulative
- Of the mechanical and immechanical Parts and Functions of Animals and Vegetables
- Of Mechanical Arrangement in the Human Frame
- Of the Muscles
- Of the Vessels of Animal Bodies
- Of the Animal Structure regarded as a Mass
- Comparative Anatomy
- Peculiar Organizations
- Prospective Contrivances
- Relations
- Compensation
- The Relation of Animated Bodies to Inanimate Nature
- Instincts
- Of Insects
- Of Plants
- The Elements
- Astronomy
- Of the Personality of the Deity
- Of the Natural Attributes of the Deity
- Of the Unity of the Deity
- Of the Goodness of the Deity
- Conclusion
Product Details
- Title: The Works of William Paley, vol. 1
- Author: William Paley
- Edition: Revised and expanded
- Publisher: Longman and Co.
- Publication Date: 1838
- Pages: 269
About William Paley
William Paley (1743–1805) was one of the most influential philosophers of the late Enlightenment period. Having studied at Christ’s College, Cambridge, he later became a tutor of philosophy and the Greek New Testament. Later on in his life, he became Archdeacon of Carlisle within the Anglican Church. His work in the area of natural theology was groundbreaking, particularly in his formulation of the Watchmaker Analogy. Some of his other important works delve into the areas of social and political ethics and were added to the list of required texts at Cambridge shortly after their printing. A magnate of Christian philosophy, Paley’s works paved the way for modern studies in Christian apologetics and historical criticism.