Hume's Criticisms

Question 1

Not everything has a cause

Answer 1

We only have subjective understanding of natural laws and cannot conclusively state that “all things must have a cause.” If some things don’t have a cause, we don’t need God.

Question 2

Fallacy of Composition

Answer 2

The argument gives the characteristics of things within the group to a group as a whole. Just because things within the universe are caused, moved and contingent, doesn’t mean the universe as a whole is moved, caused and contingent.
We cannot link unobservable causes with unobservable effects - God is unobservable.

Question 3

Breaks his own rule

Answer 3

If Aquinas says that everything is caused, moved and contingent, and then breaks his rule. If God is his own cause then why can’t the Universe be its own cause?

Question 4

Infinite regress

Answer 4

Why must we accept that the universe does not have an infinite regress? Perhaps the sequence of causes has no beginning.

Question 5

Not necessary

Answer 5

Even if the argument does prove some kind of necessary being, it doesn’t prove the God of Judeo-Christianity. The necessary being may have created the universe but isn’y necessarily good or personal.