Back in NovemÂber, we brought you the BBC series of short aniÂmatÂed videos, A HisÂtoÂry of Ideas. ProÂduced in colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion with the UK’s Open UniÂverÂsiÂty and narÂratÂed by HarÂry ShearÂer, these fun introÂducÂtions to such philosoÂphers as Simone de BeauÂvoir and Edmund Burke, and such weighty philoÂsophÂiÂcal topÂics as free will and the probÂlem of evil, make chalÂlengÂing, abstract conÂcepts accesÂsiÂble to non-philosoÂphers. Now the series is back with a new chapÂter, “How Did EveryÂthing Begin?,” a surÂvey of sevÂerÂal theÂoÂries of the oriÂgins of the uniÂverse, from Thomas Aquinas’ philoÂsophÂiÂcal specÂuÂlaÂtions, to HinÂdu cosÂmolÂoÂgy; and from theÂoloÂgian William Paley’s design arguÂment (below), and the theÂoÂry of the Big Bang (above).
The two videos here present an interÂestÂing counÂterÂpoint between the oriÂgin theÂoÂries of astroÂphysics and theÂolÂoÂgy. Though curÂrent day intelÂliÂgent design proÂpoÂnents deny it, there is still much of William Paley’s arguÂment, at least in style, in their explaÂnaÂtions of creÂation. First proÂpoundÂed in his 1802 work NatÂurÂal TheÂolÂoÂgy, the theologian’s famous watchÂmakÂer analogy—which he extendÂed to the design of the eye, and everyÂthing else—gave Charles DarÂwin much to puzÂzle over, though David Hume had supÂposÂedÂly refutÂed Paley’s arguÂments 50 years earÂliÂer. The Big Bang theÂoÂry—a term creÂatÂed by its foreÂmost critÂic Fred Hoyle as a pejorative—offers an entireÂly natÂuÂralÂisÂtic account of the universe’s oriÂgins, one that preÂsupÂposÂes no inherÂent purÂpose or design.
As with the preÂviÂous videos, these are scriptÂed by forÂmer Open UniÂverÂsiÂty proÂfesÂsor and host of the PhiÂlosÂoÂphy Bites podÂcast, Nigel WarÂburÂton. This time around the videos are narÂratÂed by Gillian AnderÂson, whose voice you may not immeÂdiÂateÂly recÂogÂnize. Rather than soundÂing like Dana SculÂly, her famous X‑Files charÂacÂter, AnderÂson speaks in a British accent, which she slips into easÂiÂly, havÂing lived in the UK for much of her childÂhood and now again as an adult. (You may have seen AnderÂson in many of the EngÂlish periÂod draÂmas she has appeared in, or in British crime draÂma The Fall or Michael Winterbottom’s uproarÂiÂous adapÂtaÂtion of TrisÂtram Shandy.)
These fasÂciÂnatÂing specÂuÂlaÂtive theories—whether sciÂenÂtifÂic or mythological—are sure to appeal to fans of the X‑Files, who can perÂhaps begin to believe again, or remain skepÂtiÂcal, thanks to news that AnderÂson may reteam with Chris Carter and David Duchovny for a reboot of the clasÂsic sci-fi series.
Watch the remainÂing videos in the series below:
Thomas Aquinas and the First Mover ArguÂment
HinÂdu CreÂation StoÂries
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
A HisÂtoÂry of Ideas: AniÂmatÂed Videos Explain TheÂoÂries of Simone de BeauÂvoir, Edmund Burke & OthÂer PhilosoÂphers
The HisÂtoÂry of PhiÂlosÂoÂphy WithÂout Any Gaps – Peter Adamson’s PodÂcast Still Going Strong
Free Online PhiÂlosÂoÂphy CoursÂes (130 in Total)
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness
