British philosopher and novelist Iris Murdoch makes an argument from perfection. To my knowledge, she doesn't use the phrase herself, but others have attributed the argument to her. It goes something like this
In Christian theology the motif of the Realm of God (Kingdom of God in non-inclusive language or heaven in popular devotion) performs the function of the argument from perfection. Sometimes, the Realm of God discussion has been termed "realized eschatology." Eschatology relates to the End, the final state, the perfect. Realized eschatology says that it is possible to know in the present that which will be in the End. It cannot be realized in completion, but there can be at least glimpses of the perfect, and the present can be transformed to resemble more of the perfect than the imperfect.
The Realm of God is, then, an imagined perfection very different to the imperfections of the life we presently live. What is it like? An example. The imperfections of life include issues like sickness and grieving. In the realm of God, there is no sickness and those who grieve are comforted. Whenever there is a healing of sickness and wherever those who grieve are comforted, then that is a sign of the Realm of God. The perfect is realized to some degree in the imperfect. There is also a spur to folk to align themselves with what looks like the perfect. Another example. In the Realm of God, there is perfect knowledge and understanding. Education at its best—in the overcoming of ignorance and the many ills associated with ignorance—is a way of aligning with the Realm of God. Another example. In the perfect all are accepted, regardless of gender or class or race or sexual orientation or education level or ability. Whenever there is an inclusion, there is a glimpse of the perfect. When you side with inclusion, you are aligning yourself with the Realm of God.
The perfect is a happy state. Imagine away! Then look for signs of the perfect in the midst of the imperfect.
+Ab. Andy
If we can imagine the perfect, that imagined perfection can help us make a practical different to our very imperfect life now. Our imperfect lives will reflect better the life of perfection through contemplation of the perfect.It is not an argument unique to Murdoch. She was something of a neo-Platonist, and anything with "Plato" in its descriptor will likely have something to do with an ideal, a perfection, whether the ideal exists or not. Murdoch, for her own part, was agnostic about the perfect. Yet, the fact that we can imagine the perfect is very important. The perfect draws us toward itself. (It is quite possible that imagining the perfect, and knowing our own imperfection, may cause us to hate ourselves and drive us further from the perfect. But, that is another story for another day.)
In Christian theology the motif of the Realm of God (Kingdom of God in non-inclusive language or heaven in popular devotion) performs the function of the argument from perfection. Sometimes, the Realm of God discussion has been termed "realized eschatology." Eschatology relates to the End, the final state, the perfect. Realized eschatology says that it is possible to know in the present that which will be in the End. It cannot be realized in completion, but there can be at least glimpses of the perfect, and the present can be transformed to resemble more of the perfect than the imperfect.
The Realm of God is, then, an imagined perfection very different to the imperfections of the life we presently live. What is it like? An example. The imperfections of life include issues like sickness and grieving. In the realm of God, there is no sickness and those who grieve are comforted. Whenever there is a healing of sickness and wherever those who grieve are comforted, then that is a sign of the Realm of God. The perfect is realized to some degree in the imperfect. There is also a spur to folk to align themselves with what looks like the perfect. Another example. In the Realm of God, there is perfect knowledge and understanding. Education at its best—in the overcoming of ignorance and the many ills associated with ignorance—is a way of aligning with the Realm of God. Another example. In the perfect all are accepted, regardless of gender or class or race or sexual orientation or education level or ability. Whenever there is an inclusion, there is a glimpse of the perfect. When you side with inclusion, you are aligning yourself with the Realm of God.
The perfect is a happy state. Imagine away! Then look for signs of the perfect in the midst of the imperfect.
+Ab. Andy