basics

Question 1

cosmological argument

Answer 1

appeals to our intuition that the existence of the universe and everything else needs an explanation.
the existence of the universe demands an explanation - why it is here instead of nothing.
proposes that an explanation of the universe cant be found within the universes, so it must be an external cause or source.
however, God doesn’t need a cause and doesn’t have an external cause because God is his own cause: his existence is necessary.

Question 2

definition: cosmological argument

Answer 2

the cosmological argument attempts to answer why something is there instead of nothing. Cosmological says God is the reason for this and tries to prove this through the universe’s existence.
A cosmological argument for the existence of god argues that the existence of the universe is explained by the existence of god.

Question 3

compared to teleological arguments

Answer 3

they are not focused on the nature of God but rather that God is a necessary being and exists outside of time and space

Question 4

two types of cosmological arguments

Answer 4

• causation

- contingency

Question 5

from causation

Answer 5

the kalam argument
Aquinas’ first and second way
Descartes argument

claims all things in the universe all have cause to claim that the universe itself must have a cause. that being god.

1. everything in the universe has a cause.
2. the universe itself must have a cause
3. this cause it god. (itself uncaused)

Question 6

from contingency

Answer 6

Aquinas’ third way
Leibniz’s principles of sufficient reason

dependent on something
ie the claim that the universe is contingent and it depends upon something outside of itself for its existence and creation

1. everything in the universe is dependent on something else
2. the universe itself must be dependent on something else.
3. this is god (itself necessary)

Question 7

alt categorisation

Answer 7

• horizontal

- vertical

Question 8

from horizontal

Answer 8

traces evens or causation back in time until a first cause arrives which started the universe,

tracing backwards in time.

eg. kalam argument

Question 9

from vertical

Answer 9

traces causation or contingency, upwards in terms of a hierarchy of dependent
the existence of one thing dependent on the existence of another thing higher up the chain
until a first cause arrives which sustains the existence of the whole universe and keeps it going even now.

eg, Aquinas’ three ways