1.2 Cosmological Argument Flashcards
Who initially wrote the cosmological argument and who was it popularised by
Aristotle = initial Aquinas = popularised
What is the basic from of Aquinas’ Cosmological argument
- Everything that exists has a cause
- The universe exists
- The universe has a cause
- This cause is God
What is Aquinas’ First Way
Argument from Motion
“motion” meaning an object changing from one form/state to another
- Nothing can move itself
- If every object in motion had a mover, then the first objected in motion needed a mover
- Movement cant go on for infinity (infinite regress is impossible)
- Therefore the first mover was God
What is Aquinas’ Second Way
Argument from Efficient Cause
Every Object has a cause
No object/thing can cause itself
Infinite regress is impossible
Therefore there must of been an uncaused cause - God
What is Aquinas’ Third Way
Everything in the world is contingent (has a beginning and end)
If all beings were contingent then there would’ve been a time where nothing existed
This isn’t possible as all contingent beings have a cause
Therefore not all beings must be contingent
A ‘necessary’ being must exist - this is called God
Criticisms of Aquinas’ argument
- Argument is circular (if everything has a cause then God does too)
- Fallacy of composition (Russell)
- The world could’ve always existed it doesn’t need a cause (Russell)
- No such thing as a ‘necessary’ being; something is only ‘necessary’ if its self-contradictory to deny (eg. 2+2=4 is necessary) (Russell)
Kant
- Believes it uses the same logic as the OA
- God is not logically necessary as the existence of God cant be determined by logic
Hume
- Explanation of parts is sufficient (eg. baby comes from parents). The whole world doesn’t NEED an explanation
- Just because we haven’t experienced something rise from nothing doesn’t mean its impossible
- Why cant the world just be necessary
