Cosmological Argument

Question 1

Is the cosmological argument inductive or deductive?

Answer 1

Both!

Question 2

Is the cosmological argument a priori or a posteriori and what is the arguments basis?

Answer 2

A posteriori - based on our experience that all things in the universe are contingent.

Question 3

Is the Kalam argument inductive or deductive?

Answer 3

Deductive

Question 4

Who are the key scholars of the Kalam Argument?

Answer 4

Al Ghazali (Islamic scholar) in the 11th century
William Lane Craig pioneers modern Kalam

Question 5

State the Kalam argument

Answer 5

P1 Whatever begins to exist has a cause for existence.
P2 The universe began to exist
P3 Therefore, the universe has a cause.
P4 The universe has a cause which must be God as he is the only thing greater than the universe.
C Therefore, as the universe exists, God exists too.

Question 6

What are some problems of the Kalam argument?

Answer 6

It supposes a cause (God) can logically exist without a cause, which seems illogical and contradictory.

The Big Bang could be the cause without a cause, not God.

Question 7

What does Leibniz contribute to the cosmological argument?

Answer 7

Sufficient reason

Question 8

How does the idea of sufficient reason suggest God exists?

Answer 8

Nothing takes place without a total explanation.
Sufficient reason for the universe must go back to something that has necessary existence, is non-contingent, and is outside of our world.
If everything has a cause, the universe must have a cause too…God.

Question 9

What does Aquinas contribute to the cosmological argument?

Answer 9

Aquinas’ first 3 ways are cosmological prove Gods existence as His existence is not self-evident.

Question 10

What is Aquinas’ first way?

Answer 10

Motion - Things only move/change when an external force is applied onto it. We can’t have an infinite regress of ‘movers’ so there must be a prime mover who is unmoved.

Question 11

What is Aquinas’ second way?

Answer 11

Causation - All things have a cause, nothing can cause itself. For the first cause to cause itself, it must exist before it existed and this can only be God to prevent infinite regress.

Question 12

What is Aquinas’ third way?

Answer 12

Contingency - God must exist as the universe is contingent and relies on a non-contingent something…a necessary being.

Question 13

What is infinite regress?

Answer 13

Going back in time forever to find the start.

Question 14

Why does Aquinas reject infinite regress?

Answer 14

It is illogical, there must be a start.

Question 15

What are the strengths of Aquinas’ 3 ways?

Answer 15

Not arguing for a Christian God, just God.
Proved by science - the Big Bang.
Supported by Ockham’s razor when it rejects infinite regress.

Question 16

What are Aristotle’s contributions to the cosmological argument?

Answer 16

Changes in the universe must come from an ultimate source that creates a chain of cause and effect.
If the universe had no cause, the universe would not exist as then nothing would have started the chain.
But the universe exists and we can see the chain of cause and effect in our existence…there must be a cause, a prime mover, a necessary being.

Question 17

What are Hume’s criticisms of the cosmological argument?

Answer 17

We didn’t experience the start of the universe.

Fallacy of composition - just because all the bricks in the great wall of China are small doesn’t mean the great wall of China is small! In the same way, just because everything in the universe has a cause doesn’t mean the universe itself has a cause.

Is there a sufficient reason? Are we looking for an explanation that isn’t there?

Question 18

What are Kant’s criticism of the cosmological argument?

Answer 18

We cannot say everything is contingent except God. Why is he an exception?