arguments for the existence of god - inductive arguments Flashcards
what is a posteriori?
a statement that is based on actual observation, evidence, experimental data or experience - relates to inductive reasoning
what is an inductive argument?
an inductive argument is using specific observations to form a general conclusion
-inductive arguments are reached through inductive proof - inductive proofs are a posteriori because they require evidence and experience to make sense
aquinas’ first way
•cosmological argument
•inductive argument
•often referred to as motion or change
•aquinas argued that we notice that when we observe the universe, we tend to be in a state of of change or motion
•aquinas argued that this does not happen of its own accord, but instead moved by something else
•he said if we look down thus sequence of changes we would eventually come to something that started the whole sequence
•aristotle named this the ‘prime mover’, which aquinas developed as the ‘unmoved mover’
aquinas first way - actuality, efficient cause, potentiality
aquinas developed aristotle’s examples of potentiality, actuality and efficient cause to help explain this theory
•potentiality- the ability to become something else
•actuality- when something achieves it’s potential
•efficient cause- the third party that moved the potentiality into actuality
•aquinas used the example of wood getting hotter to illustrate this point
aquinas’ second way
•cosmological argument
•inductive argument
•often referred to as cause and effect
•aquinas argued that the chain of cause and effect cannot be traced back infinitely - leading to the first cause being god
•he continued by stating it’s impossible for anything in the universe to cause itself - if you imagine a line of dominos the first one (efficient cause) to fall causes the second one (intermediate cause) to fall, which causes the third one to fall (ultimate cause)
what is and intermediate cause? - aquinas second way
2ND IN THE DOMINO LINE- relies on something else to be triggered
what is an ultimate cause? - aquinas second way
THIRD TO FALL IN DOMINO LINE - end cause in sequence that could of not been there without the efficient and intermediate cause
what is the efficient cause? - aquinas
the third party that moves something into actuality
aquinas’ third way
•cosmological argument
•inductive argument
•deal with the concepts of contingency and necessity
•aquinas argues anything that is contingent (anything that exists) has the possibility of not existing
•he continues by stating if this was true for everything in existence nothing would have ever come into existence
•therefore there must be a non-contingent being, aquinas called this a necessary being that put everything into existence
kalams cosmological argument
•cosmological argument
•inductive argument
•has been modernised by william craig lane
his argument was:
1. everything that begins to exist has a cause of existence
2. the universe begun to exist
3. therefore the universe has a cause of existence
4. no scientific proof can explain the origin of the universe, therefore the cause must be a personal agent
challenges of kallams argument
paleys watchmaker
•teleological argument
•uses and example of a stone and a watch
•you can recognise that a stone is natural and that a watch is man-made due to the complexity of it
•this can be used in relation to the earth due to the complexity of the earth
•therefore the earth must have some creator
tennants anthropic argument
•teleological argument
•inductive argument
•tennant developed a set of evidences that are widely reconsigned as anthropic principles today such as:
-the fact the natural world in which we live provides the things that a necessary for life to be sustained
-the fact that the natural world in which we live can not only be observed but it holds itself up for rational analysis
-the fact that evolution, through natural selection has led to the development of intelligent human life
what does anthropic mean?
related to being human
tennants aesthetic argument
•related to the natural appreciation that human beings have for things that are considered as ‘beautiful’ - our appreciation for music, art and forms of literature
•when we look at our surroundings we can see that no other species thinks this way
•he claims that our ability to recognise beauty doesn’t help our survival instinct. so why do we have it?
he argues that it’s a direct result of an benevolent god - god wanted his creation to enjoy living in the world
