Copleston (S)

Question 1

Quote?

Answer 1

‘Nothing is the cause of itself, everything has a cause’

Question 2

What does he support?

Answer 2

• Aquinas 2nd way from causation

- and Aquinas rejection of infinite regress

Question 3

What could an infinite chain of contingent beings only ever consist of?

Answer 3

Contingent beings ( which depend on something else to survive) - would never be able to bring itself into existence

Question 4

Would would an infinite chain of contingent being not be able to do?

Answer 4

Bring itself into existence

Question 5

What must the universe be cause by?

Answer 5

An external agent which must not depend on anything else?

- non-contingent and is therefore necessary

Question 6

What does Copleston state?

Answer 6

Everything depends on something before it to come into existence

Question 7

Quote 2?

Answer 7

“Since I am not the cause of myself, this universe is not the cause of itself. Since I have a mother, this universe must have a mother”

Question 8

Copleston’s premise 1

Answer 8

Some things exist that do not contain within them the reason for their own existence

Question 9

Premise 2

Answer 9

The world consists of the totality of such objects, none of which contain the reason for their existence

Question 10

Premise 3

Answer 10

The explanation for the existence of everything in the universe must lie outside of it

Question 11

Conclusion ?

Answer 11

This explanation must be a self-explanatory being that contains the reason for its own existence