Argument from desire
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The Argument from Desire is an argument for the existence of God, or rather some desired object. Promoted by C. S. Lewis and reportedly playing a part in his conversion to Christianity. It has the distinction of consisting entirely of false premises with a conclusion which does not follow.
The Weight of Glory:
- "A man’s physical hunger does not prove that man will get any bread; he may die of starvation on a raft in the Atlantic. But surely a man’s hunger does prove that he comes of a race which repairs its body by eating and inhabits a world where eatable substances exist."
- "In the same way, though I do not believe (I wish I did) that my desire for Paradise proves that I shall enjoy it, I think it a pretty good indication that such a thing exists and that some men will. A man may love a woman and not win her; but it would be very odd if the phenomenon called “falling in love” occurred in a sexless world."
Argument
- All innate human desires have objects that exist.
- There is a desire for "we know not what" whose object cannot be identified.
- God exists.
Counter Argument
- There is no innate desire for God.
- Desires don't prove the existence of the object of said desire.
- The conclusion does follow.
- An unidentified object isn't God.
