Arguments For The Existence Of God

Question 1

Is A Posterior the same as Inductive?

Answer 1

Yes

Question 2

what is a posteriori argument?

Answer 2

empirical. based on sense experience

Question 3

what is an inductive proof?

Answer 3

based on probability
not a ‘proof’
the stronger the evidence the more likely they’re true

Question 4

what does aquinas’ three way focus on?

Answer 4

contingency and necessity
everything in the cosmos is contingent, something must exist as the cause of the contingent thing.

Question 5

what is aquinas’ way 3?

Answer 5

everything in the universe is contingent so we must rely upon something else, this being in necessary to our existence
everything that is necessary must be caused or uncaused, he says infinite regress is possible, caused by necessary beings. an uncaused necessary being must be responsible for the creation of the universe

Question 6

what is the criticism to infinite regress?

Answer 6

there would be no ultimate cause for the series and so no series at all (there must have been a first cause, that breaks the definition of infinite regress)

Question 7

aquinas’ quote on his 3rd way?

Answer 7

‘this all men speak of as god’

Question 8

what did russell say about aquinas’ 3 way?

Answer 8

he was guilty of a fallacy of composition

Question 9

what is fallacy of composition?

Answer 9

what is true of parts is not necessarily true of the whole, just because what we see in the world as caused doesn’t mean the universe itself has a cause

Question 10

what do hume and russell reject the idea of?

Answer 10

a necessary being
statements about existence are synthetic rather than analytic.

Question 11

What is occams razor?

Answer 11

the most probable answer is probably the answer