Cosmological argument

Question 1

what is the cosmological argument?

Answer 1

It is a-posteriori, inductive-based on experience of the world around, mainly change, cause and effect and contingency. It is inductive as it leads to a probable conclusion. Based on the thinking of Aristotle, in particular efficient cause and final cause.

Question 2

Aquinas’ first way
Key words: motion, change, potentiality, external forces, chain, Genesis, prime mover, unchanged but causes change.

Answer 2

First way=motion. By this, Aquinas meant movement and change. Everything in the universe has the potential to change into something else e.g the fertilized egg changes to an embryo which changes to a foetus which changes to a baby. In order to change, external forces are required (nothing can change itself). Aquinas did not believe that this chain of change was infinite because he believed in Genesis which suggested that there was a beginning to everything. Also, the chain would not exist in the first place without a beginning. This chain of change must have been started by something which was not changed itself (or else it would be part of the chain of change) but triggered change. Aquinas believed this was the prime mover-God, based on the unmoved mover of Aristotle. The prime mover also had to be transcendent, as it could only trigger change in the universe by being outside of it. It also must also be timeless and spaceless as it can’t change.

Question 3

Aquinas’ second way
Key words: cause, effect, efficient cause, Aristotle, chain, Genesis, uncaused causer.

Answer 3

Second way=Cause and effect. This is the way of efficient causes i.e. how something comes about and efficient cause is evident in the universe e.g How does a baby come about? Through the fertilization of an egg and this comes about through sexual intercourse. Efficient cause is based on the thinking of Aristotle and is one of his four causes. Again, Aquinas believed that this chain of cause and effect was not infinite, it had a beginning (Genesis). The start of the chain must cause the chain without being caused itself (or else it would be part of the chain). This was the uncaused cause or the first cause=God.

Question 4

Aquinas’ third way
Key words: contingency, in and out of existence, infinite time, nothing, something, necessary being, exists necessarily, not dependent.

Answer 4

Third way= contingency. This means that things in the universe come in and out of existence. Given infinite time, all possibilities will happen. There must, therefore, have been a time when nothing existed. However, something exists now. You can’t get something from nothing. There must have been something that has always existed and does not depend upon anything else for its existence. Aquinas called this being the necessary being. It exists necessarily. This being is God.

Question 5

strengths of the cosmological argument

Answer 5

1. Science supports the idea that the Universe has a beginning e.g The Big Bang. Evidence that the universe is expanding also suggests that it had a starting point.
2. If the Universe had no beginning, then an infinite number of past moments of the Universe’s history have elapsed, and they are being added to as time goes on. However, it is impossible to add to an infinite number of things e.g if we have an infinite number of cats, we can not add to that number by introducing another cat. Therefore, we can not add to an infinite number of past moments of the Universe, yet the Universe continues to exist and past moments are added. This implies that the Universe has a beginning.
3. Without the first cause we are left with the question of why there is anything at all (Leibniz) – contingent explanations do not serve as a sufficient explanation for the universe.
4. The Cosmological argument does give an explanation for the Universe. Science works on the basis that everything has an explanation, so why not the universe? If there is an explanation for the Universe then it is possible that it could be contained in God.
5. The cosmological argument may be the simplest explanation for why there is something rather than nothing. It is the most plausible explanation (abductive) Strong- Occam’s razor, simplest explanation is usually the best one, Weak-just because it’s simplest doesn’t mean it’s the truth

Question 6

Anselm quote

Answer 6

“God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived”