Exam 1

Question 1

What is the Kalam cosmological argument

Answer 1

1) Causal Principle: Everything that begins to exist has a cause
2) The universe began to exist
3) Hence, the creation of the universe must have a distinct (*personal) cause

Question 2

What is philopunus two arguments

Answer 2

1) an actual infinity of real things is impossible
2) an actual infinity of real things (even if possible) would be impossible to traverse

Question 3

How do philoponus argument support the Kalam argument

Answer 3

they support the second argument of the Kalam argument (the universe began to exist)

Question 4

actual vs potential infinity

Answer 4

actual infinity - limited within set
potential infinity - constantly expanding, uncontainable

Question 5

what is Euclid’s axiom

Answer 5

a subset of a set is smaller than the set of which it is a subset

a subset must be smaller than the set

Question 6

explain philoponus first argument (an actual infinity of real things is impossible)

Answer 6

1) if the world were eternal, the present moment would be preceded by an actual infinity of past moments
2) past events are real things
3) an actual infinity of real things is impossible
4) hence an actual infinity of past events is impossible (from 2,3)
5) hence, the world isn’t eternal (from 1 - 4)

Question 7

explain philoponus second argument (an actual infinity of real things (even if possible) would be impossible to traverse)

Answer 7

1) if the world were eternal, the present moment would be preceded by an actual infinity of past moments
2) but it is impossible to traverse, an actual infinity of past moments to arrive at the present
3) therefore, if the world were eternal, we wouldn’t have been able to arrive at the present moment
4) but we are in the present moment
5) hence, the world isn’t eternal

Question 8

a priori vs a posteriori argument

Answer 8

a priori is based prior to experience (not based on experience)
a posteriori is based after experience (based on experience)

Question 9

what is the causal principle

Answer 9

everything that begins to exist has a cause

Question 10

why is an actual infinity impossible

Answer 10

because a subset of a set would be equal to the whole set, does not make sense.

Question 11

what is Bertrand Russels objection

Answer 11

cantorian set theory proves that an actual infinity of real things is possible

Question 12

what are the two assumptions for Bertrand Russels objection

Answer 12

1) numbers are real things (mathematical platonism)
2) consistency implies possibility

Question 13

what is mathematical platonism

Answer 13

numbers are real things

Question 14

why does plato believe that the universe began to exist

Answer 14

because everything around us is in a state of decay

Question 15

What are Craigs two a posterori arguments for the universe having a beginning

Answer 15

1) thermodynamics law (if the universe always existed we would have already run out of energy)

(all energy goes to absolute zero (coffee cup example), everything runs out of energy)

2) big bang singularity (Hubble observation of expansion galaxy, shows that universe is expanding and started from a single point)

Question 16

What is Humes counter to the causal principle

Answer 16

we do not know the causal principle to be true

not intuitive

Question 17

What are the counters to the Cosmological Argument

Answer 17

1) Krauss: quantum vacuum
2) Hume: not intuitive
3) Bertrand Russell: set theory

Question 18

what are Humes 4 foundations for intuition

Answer 18

1) contradictions
2) resemblance
3) quantity
4) quality

Question 19

What are Krauss counter to causal principle

Answer 19

Krauss: Quantum Vacuum. Space void of matter that has atoms seemingly being
created out of nothing

Question 20

What are Craigs two counters to Krauss counter to causal principle + further conversations

Answer 20

1) Craig: Quantum vacuum is not nothing

2) Craig: just because you cannot see a cause does not mean it isn’t there (observable cause does not equal actual cause)

Krauss: There is no reason to acknowledge a potential cause if there is no reason to believe that a cause exists

Craig: There is reason to believe that it has a cause if you believe in the causal principle

Question 21

difference between mechanical and personal reason for creation of the universe?

Answer 21

personal = mind, being an agent in the world

mechanical = laws of nature mechanically creating effect

Question 22

Craig argument for personal reason

Answer 22

1) a cause is either personal or mechanical
2) if the cause were mechanical, the effect would have to last as long as the cause (cause would have to be everlasting, which it is not)
3) hence the cause cannot be mechanical, and must be personal

Question 23

Swinburne argument for personal reason

Answer 23

1) a cause is either personal or mechanical
2) laws of nature were created with the creation of the universe hence cannot apply with the creation of the universe itself
3) hence the cause cannot be mechanical, and must be personal

Question 24

why must the personal cause be powerful, eternal