Cosmological Essay

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

The cos argument is a posteriori argument for the existence of God (based on observation and experience, therefore at best it can conduct a probable conclusion)

There are many exponents of the cos arg main - Aquinas who ultimately seekers to show that everything requires a cause with the first cause being a necessary being - God

In this essay - Aquinas, Leibniz PSR, Copleston’s radio debate and Kalam argument

= Kalam offers most convincing cos arg

Question 2

Way 1

Answer 2

Aquinas uses Aristotles ideas about motus and adapts them for his first argument the unmoved mover which focuses on change of state from potentiality to actuality

For example wood is potentially hot and for it to become actually hot it has to be changed by fire

Thus whatever is moved must be moved by another which itself was moved

Question 3

Way 1 counter

Answer 3

However, Aquinas argues that nothing can move itself and that there cannot be an infinite regress of movers

therefore there must be an unmoved mover which too started the chain of movement

Aquinas considers this first mover to be God and uses the fact that we can observe all things are in motion

eg we can see liquids turn to solids, to make his probable conclusion that everything is in motion

Question 4

British Philosopher Anthony Kenny presents argument that undermines this

Answer 4

He states Aquinas’ principle that nothing moves itself goes against the fact that people and animals move themselves

Back this up he uses Newton’s first law of motion

in which motion can be explained by a body’s own inertia from previous motion

Disproves Aquinas way one as Kenny points out that it is possible for objects to have uniform motion as well as being in a state of rest

therefore proving that an external force, such as God, is not necessary

Question 5

Philosophers criticism of Kenny

Answer 5

Many regard Kennys argument as weak by pointing out that ‘motion’ for Aquinas was a change of state,

therefore a human could be at rest but still be undergoing change that has been caused (ageing)

Question 6

Way two

Answer 6

Argument of cause - explains that everything within the universe is the result of a succession of causes and as nothing can be its own cause there cannot be an infinite regression of causes.

However what began this chain of causes? Aquinas