Main 4 Scholars Flashcards
Explain Aquinas’ 3 ways in detail (Motion, Cause, Contingency)
1) Motion.
St. Thomas Aquinas concluded from common observation that an object that is in motion (e.g. the planets, a rolling stone) is put in motion by some other object or force. From this, Aquinas believes that ultimately there must have been an UNMOVED MOVER (GOD) who first put things in motion. Follow the argument this way:
1) Nothing can move itself.
2) If every object in motion had a mover, then the first object in motion needed a mover.
3) This first mover is the Unmoved Mover, called God.
2) Cause
This Way deals with the issue of existence. Aquinas concluded that common sense observation tells us that no object creates itself. In other words, some previous object had to create it. Aquinas believed that ultimately there must have been an UNCAUSED FIRST CAUSE (GOD) who began the chain of existence for all things. Follow the argument this way:
1) There exists things that are caused (created) by other things.
2) Nothing can be the cause of itself (nothing can create itself.)
3) There can not be an endless string of objects causing other objects to exist.
4) Therefore, there must be an uncaused first cause called God.
3) Contingency
This Way defines two types of objects in the universe: contingent beings and necessary beings. A contingent being is an object that can not exist without a necessary being causing its existence. Aquinas believed that the existence of contingent beings would ultimately necessitate a being which must exist for all of the contingent beings to exist. This being, called a necessary being, is what we call God. Follow the argument this way:
1) Contingent beings are caused.
2) Not every being can be contingent.
3) There must exist a being which is necessary to cause contingent beings.
4) This necessary being is God.
Outline Leibniz’s theory of Sufficient Reason
“Nothing takes place without a sufficient reason”.
- Leibniz argued we need full (not partial) explanations and reasons for things existing - to establish why there is something rather than nothing.
- He agrees with Aquinas that we cant have infinite regress as we wouldn’t get a full explanation
- Man has not been able to find reason for the universes existence within the universe itself.
- The great cause must exist outside of it.
Whats the difference between Aquinas’ cosmological argument and the Kalam argument for God
Aquinas says:
- God caused everything in existence
We depend on God to this day
The Kalam Argument:
-Uses scientific evidence to suggest God caused the universe (Big Bang - Criticism) which then created everything else.
God was just the first cause.
What does “Ex Nihilo” means?
Ex nihilo is a Latin phrase meaning “out of nothing”. It often appears in conjunction with the concept of creation, as in “creatio ex nihilo”, meaning “creation out of nothing”
Whats the Kalam argument and who is it by?
Kalam argument is an islamic version of the cosmological argument. It was developed from Aristotle’s thinking (personal creator). “Kalam” literally means “speaking”. It was presented by two islamic scholars:
1) Al-Kindi
2) Al- Ghazali
Summarise the Kalam Argument
1) Whatever comes into being must have a cause.
2) The universe came into being
3) The Universe must have a cause
4) If the universe has a cause, the cause of its existence must be God.
5) God exists.
“All that comes to be must have a cause to bring it about it”.
Al-Ghazali:
> Must have been a first beginning point at which the unvierse began
> We can’t have infinite regress (dominoes)
Explain William Lane Craigs Library Analogy
If we had an infinte library, there would be every book ever in it.
If we added some collections, would there be more thatn before?
Librarys grow and change like the universe so infinity cant exist.
Summarise Craigs argument
(1) We all agree that the universe has a cause. The Big Bang isnt sufficient enough
(2) Actual infinity cant exist (Library Analogy) everything must be finite. Everything that’s finite must have a cause including the universe.
(3) The cause of the universe must exist outside the universe. If the creator was within space and time, he himself must have a cause. Just like the library creator must have existed outside the library for the library to exist.
Define what an actual/ potential infinite is.
Potential infinite:
> Purely Conceptual
mathematical concept - used for equations
Actual Infinite:
> something that doesn’t grow, already contains everything it needs -> wouldn’t grow.
X This is why infinity can’t exist -> theres evidence of growth in the universe. Can’t be infinite must be beginning point.
Summarise Miller’s argument of time
Millers adaptation of the cosmological argument revolves around time.
1) An infinite universe would have an infinite number of days
2) The end of an infinite series of days would never be reached
3) This means that we would never reach today.
4) Time began when the universe began.
5) Events are caused
6) The beginning of the universe was an event
7) Therefore, there must have been a cause
8) The first cause was God.
Outline J.L Mackie’s argument in support of Aquinas
Illustrated the rejection of infinite regress with a train.
“Each carriage pulls the one behind it, but it wouldn’t get anywhere without an engine God is like the engine.”
