cosmological argument Flashcards
1
Q
what are the 6 cosmological arguments?
A
Kalaam (temporal causation)
Aquinas 1 (motion)
Aquinas 2 (causation)
Aquinas 3 (contingency)
Leibniz (sufficient reason)
Descartes (God = only possible explanation)
2
Q
give the Kalaam cosmological argument
A
- universe is made up of temporal phenomena that is caused by other preceding temporal phenomena
- infinite regress of temporal phenomena is impossible (actual infinities cannot exist: Hilbert’s hotel)
- so, the universe must have a beginning
- everything that has a beginning has a cause
- if the universe has a cause of existence, this must be a transcendent, eternal being, i.e. God
- so God exists
3
Q
criticisms and responses of Kalaam
A
- why must creator be God?
(RESPONSE: cause was either willed or natural. As no natural causes existed before universe, it must have been willed)
4
Q
give Aquinas’s 1st cosmo arg
A
- some things are in actual motion
- all things in motion have a mover (to move from potential to actual)
- this would lead to an infinite regress of movers
- if there is no first mover then nothing would be in motion
- so, to stop infinite regression, an unmoved mover is needed
- so, there must be an unmoved mover: God
5
Q
give Aquinas’s 2nd cosmo arg
A
- all things that exist have a cause
- nothing can cause itself
- this would lead to an infinite regress of caused things
- with no first cause, there would be no effects
- so, to stop infinite regression, an uncaused cause is needed
- so, an uncaused causer is needed: God
6
Q
give 4 critiques of the cosmological argument
A
- possibility of an infinite series (big bounce/Russell’s necessary matter and energy)
- hume’s objection to causal principle (causation isn’t necessary, just constant conjunction of events that we assume is causation e.g. billiards ball knocking another ball might not be the cause of second ball moving)
- special pleading (can’t apply the rule of causation to some things but not God)
- fallacy of composition Russell (can’t apply rules from specific to general. Humans have mothers but humanity doesn’t have a mother)
- impossibility of a necessary being Russell/Hume (crosses fork, also you can conceive of God not existing so not necessary)
7
Q
give Aquinas’s 3rd cosmological arg
A
- all things in the universe are contingent
- this leads to an infinite regress of contingent things
- if there was an infinite chain of contingent things then at some point all things must have not existed at once
- if true, then nothing would exist now
- this is false so there must be at least one necessary thing to make all things exist
- this necessary being is God
8
Q
give Leibniz’s cosmo arg
A
- every true fact has an explanation that provides a sufficient reason for why things are as they are and not otherwise
- there are two kinds of truth: of reasoning and of fact
- truths of reason contain within themselves their own explanation (necessary) whereas truths of fact require other facts to further explain them
- each of these further contingent facts also needs to be explained
- so a sequence of contingent facts doesn’t contain sufficient reason for any contingent fact
- so, to provide sufficient reason for any contingent fact, we must look outside the sequence of contingent facts
- so, the sufficient reason for contingent facts must be in a necessary substance
- this necessary substance is God (as he requires no further explanation)
9
Q
give Descartes’ cosmo arg
A
- I can’t have caused myself because I would have created myself perfect
- I have not always existed because then I’d be aware of this
- Also, I can’t sustain myself in existence
- My parents may be the cause of my physical existence but not of me as a thinking mind (nor my idea of a perfect being)
- So, I rely on something (God) for my continued existence and my idea of a supremely perfect being (both wouldn’t exist without God)
- so, only God could have created me
