Arguments for God

Question 1

Aqunias’ First Way (from motion)

Answer 1

1. Some things in the world are in motion.
2. Whatever is in motion is put into motion by something else. Nothing can move itself.
3. If A is put into motion by B, and B is also in motion, something else must have put B into motion.
4. If this goes onto infinity, then there is no first mover.
5. If there is no first mover, then there is no other mover, and so nothing is in motion.
6. Therefore, there must be a first mover.
7. This first mover is God.

Question 2

Aquinas’ Second Way (from causation)

Answer 2

1. We find, in the world, cause and effect.
2. Nothing can be the cause of itself.
3. Cause follows in order: the first causes the second which in turn causes the third etc.
4. If you remove a cause, you remove its effects.
5. Therefore, if there is no first cause, there will be no later causes.
6. Therefore, given that there are causes, there cannot be an infinite regress of causes.
7. Therefore, there must be a first cause, which is not itself caused.
8. God is the first cause.

Question 3

Kalam Argument

Answer 3

1. Of everything that begins to exist, something causes it to exist.
2. The universe began to exist.
3. Therefore, there is a cause of the existence of the universe.

Question 4

Aquinas’ Third Way (from contingency)

Answer 4

1. Things in the universe exist contingently.
2. If it is possible for something not to exist, then at some time, it does not exist.
3. If everything exists contingently,then it is possible at some time, there was nothing in existence.
4. If at some time, nothing was in existence, nothing could begin to exist.
5. Since things did begin to exist, then there was never nothing in existence.
6. Therefore, there is something that does not exist contingently, but does exist.
7. This necessary being is God.

Question 5

Coppleston’s Argument from Contingency

Answer 5

1. Things in the universe exist contingently.
2. Something that exists contingently needs an explanation of why it exists, after all, it’s existence is not inevitable.
3. This explanation may be provided by the existence of some other contingent being.
4. To repeat this ad infinitum is no explanation of why anything exists at all.
5. Therefore, what explains why contingent beings exist at all can on,y be a non-contingent being.
6. A non-contingent being is one that exists necessarily, and doesn’t need some further explanation for why it exists.
7. This necessary being is God.

Question 7

Teleological Argument (from design)

Answer 7

1. Anything that has parts organised to serve a purpose must have been designed.
2. ‘There cannot be design without a designer.’
3. Nature contains parts which are organised to serve a purpose.
4. Therefore, nature contains things which have been designed.
5. Therefore, nature requires a designer.
6. A designer must be a ‘designing mind’ separate from what it designs.
7. Therefore, the designer must be God.

Question 8

Swinburne’s Design Argument

Answer 8

1. There are some temporal regularities, e.g. related to human actions, that are explained in terms of persons.
2. There are other temporal regularities, e.g. related to the laws of nature, that are similar to these explained in terms of persons.
3. We can, by analogy, explain the regularities to the laws of nature in terms of persons.
4. There is no scientific explanation of the laws of nature.
5. (As far as we know, there are only two types of explanation- scientific and persons.)
6. Therefore, there is no better explanation of the regularities relating to the laws of nature that the explanation in terms of persons.
7. Therefore, the regularities relating to the laws of nature are produced by a person (a designer.)
8. Therefore, a designer exists.

Question 9

Anselm Ontological Argument

Answer 9

1. By definition, God is a being greater than which cannot be conceived.
2. (We can coherently conceive of such a being i.e. the concept is coherent.)
3. It is greater to exist in reality than to exist only in the mind.
4. Therefore, God must exist.

Question 10

Descartes Ontological Argument

Answer 10

1. I have the idea of God.
2. This idea of God is the idea of a supremely perfect being.
3. A supremely perfect being doesn’t lack any perfection.
4. Existence is a perfection.
5. Therefore, God must exist.

Question 11

Descartes Trademark Argument

Answer 11

1. The cause of anything must be at least as perfect as its effect.
2. My idea must be caused by something.
3. I am an imperfect being.
4. I have the idea of God, which is that of a perfect being.
5. I cannot be the cause of my idea of God.
6. Only a perfect being can be the cause of my idea of God.
7. Therefore, God must exist.

Question 12

Malcolm’s Ontological Argument

Answer 12

1. Either God exists or God does not exist.
2. God cannot come into existence or go out of existence.
3. If God exists, God cannot cease to exist.
4. Therefore, if God exists, God exists necessarily.
5. If God does not exist, God cannot come into existence.
6. Therefore, if God does not exist, dogs existence is impossible.
7. Therefore gods existence is either necessary or impossible.
8. Gods existence is only impossible if the concept of God is self-contradictory.
9. The concept if God is not self-contradictory.
10. Therefore, gods existence is not impossible.
11. Therefore, (from 7 to 10) God exists necessarily.

Question 13

Hume’s Objection to Ontology

Answer 13

1. Nothing that is distinctly conceivable implies a contradiction.
2. Whatever we can conceive of existent, we can also conceive if as non-existent.
3. Therefore, there is no being whose non-existence implies contradiction.