Cosmological Argument

Question 1

Explain the First Way

Answer 1

• Focuses on change/motion
• An object has the potential to become something different, so movement is the fulfilment of that potential
• Nothing can be both actual at potential at the same time
• Whatever is moved must be moved by something else
• Rejects infinite regress
• First, unmoved move is what we understand to be God

Question 2

Explain the Second Way

Answer 2

• Focuses on cause and effect
• nothing can be the efficient cause of itself
• It would already have had to exist to bring itself into existence
• First, uncaused causer is what we understand to be God

Question 3

Explain the Third Way

Answer 3

• The world consists of contingent beings which once didn’t exist
• As contingent being exist now, there must be something non-contingent/necessary
• This necessary being is what we understand to be God

Question 4

Define contingent beings

Answer 4

Being that depend upon something else for this existence

Question 5

Define necessary beings

Answer 5

Beings which cannot not exist, and aren’t dependant on any other for their existence

Question 6

Explain the arguments basis in observation

Answer 6

• A posteriori ~ based on experience and the observed facts derived
• Inductive ~ draws a general conclusion from specific instances. Only offer probabilities, not proofs

Question 7

Explain Aquinas’ rejection of infinite regress

Answer 7

• Contingent beings are temporary
• Contingent beings can’t regress infinitely as they’re temporary
• The only explanation is a necessary being
• Infinite regress is to deny any final explanation

Question 8

What is the principle of sufficient reason?

Answer 8

Leibniz - there is some sort of explanation, known or unknown, for everyone

Question 9

Explain the two understandings of cause

Answer 9

• in fieri ~ becoming, commenced but not completed (God could now cease to be)
• in esse ~ in being, actually existing (idea of a sustainer)

Question 10

Explain the Kalam argument

Answer 10

Argues for a temporal first cause

• Whatever begins to exist has a cause
• The universe began to exist
• Therefore the universe has a cause

Question 11

God as a sustainer of motion, causation and existence

Answer 11

Ontological first cause - Gods existence is necessary to sustain the existence of everything else. Everything continues to depend on God for its existence

Question 12

Criticisms of the rejection of infinite regress:

Answer 12

1. The Oscillating Universe theory - infinite series of expanding & contracting universes
2. If infinite regress is not possible then who caused God?

Question 13

Bertrand Russell’s response:

Answer 13

“The universe is just there.” No explanation needed for the universes existence - brute fact

Question 14

Criticism of ‘the universe must have a cause’

Answer 14

Fallacy of composition - Just because an event in the universe has a cause, doesn’t mean the universe itself must therefore have a cause

Question 15

Criticism of ‘argument based on observation’

Answer 15

David Hume - we could not have knowledge about concepts such as cause and necessary beings as they’re not open to the empirical approach

Question 16

Define empirical

Answer 16

Relying on or derived from sense experience

Question 17

Strengths of the cosmological argument

Answer 17

• Provides an explanation
• Science supports a beginning of the universe
• Consistent with god as the explanation

Question 18

Weaknesses of the cosmological argument

Answer 18

• Not a proof
• Matter could exist necessarily without God
• If God doesn’t have a cause, why should the universe have one?
• Why should we conclude the first cause to be God?

Question 19

Stephen Hawking’s response to the argument

Answer 19

“An expanding universe does not preclude a creator”

Question 20

Richard Swinburne “An event is…

Answer 20

Fully explained when we have cited the agent”