Cosmological Argument

Question 1

Explain Aquinas’ first way

Answer 1

UNMOVED MOVER
A-posteriori, inductive
Everything is in a state of motus (from Aristotle’s ideas of potentiality and actuality)
Everything in lotus has been changed by something else
This chain of movers cannot go back forever as it is not sufficient reason
The First Mover must be unmoved (pure actuality)

Question 2

Explain Aquinas’ second way

Answer 2

THE UNCAUSED CAUSE
A-posteriori, inductive
Nothing can be the efficient cause of itself (ref Aristotle) nothing can bring itself into existence
Infinite regression of efficient causes is impossible
First cause must be uncaused

Question 3

Explain Aquinas’ third way

Answer 3

ONE NECESSARY THING
A-posteriori, inductive
Everything we observe is contingent, dependant on something else for existence
If everything was contingent there would have been a time where nothing existed
If nothing existed then nothing would exist now
There must be one necessary thing (God)

Question 4

How could Leibniz’s ideas be used to support the cosmological argument?

Answer 4

Principle of sufficient reason- an infinite regress of casters and movers does not supply a complete explanation

Question 5

How could Swinburne’s ideas be used to support the cosmological argument?

Answer 5

For there to be nothing is much more logical, and therefore because we know there is something, there must be a reason
‘A may be explained by B, and B by C but in the end there will be one object on whom all other objects depend’

Question 6

How could Copleston’s ideas be used to support the cosmological argument?

Answer 6

The cosmological argument emphasis the otherness of God, and doesn’t anthropomorphise him.

Question 7

Give 4 strengths of the cosmological argument

Answer 7

1. It gives an explanation. We seek an explanation for everything and therefore the universe should not be treated differently. Science also works on the basis of seeking an explanation
2. Compatible with the ontological argument and ideas of a necessary being
3. Science supports that the universe had a beginning
4. Philosophy supports that the universe has a beginning. You cannot add to infinity (infinity +1 is impossible), however time continues to go on and add. If time before this moment was infinite, then the time passing cannot increase, therefore there must have been a beginning and it cannot be infinite

Question 8

Explain Hume’s 4 main criticisms of the cosmological argument

Answer 8

1. the inaccuracy of cause and effect- just because two events happen in succession, doesn’t mean they’re cause effect (the human brain however makes the connection and therefore assumption that this is cause and effect)
2. Inductive leap from necessary being, uncaused cause and unmoved mover to God
3. Why must the universe have a beginning? Supported by the Oscillating Universe theory
4. The fallacy of composition- what is true of the part may not be true of the whole (rules for part of the universe may not be applicable to the universe itself)