the cosmological argument

Question 1

Is the argument a priori or a posteriori?
What does this mean?

Answer 1

A posteriori
Based on sense experience

Question 2

Is the argument inductive or deductive?
What does this mean?

Answer 2

Inductive
The conclusion isn’t guaranteed - it requires ppl to take a leap of faith

Question 3

What are all things in the universe? What does this mean?

Answer 3

All things in the universe are contingent - they’re dependent for their existence on other things

Question 4

What did Aquinas conclude from the fact that all things in the universe are contingent?

Answer 4

Something must therefore exist necessarily
If everything IN the universe is contingent, then the cause of the universe must lie outside it

Question 5

Explain the premises and conclusion of the cosmological argument

Answer 5

P1 The universe is contingent
P2 Something necessary caused the universe’s existence
C God is necessary; therefore caused the universe

Question 6

What does only a necessary being have the power to do?

Answer 6

Create the first ever contingent thing

Question 7

What is the fallacy of composition?

Answer 7

The fallacy of saying that something is true as a whole from the fact that it is true of the part

Question 8

Give an example of a fallacious argument

Answer 8

Hydrogen is not wet; oxygen is not wet
Therefore, water is not wet

Question 9

Who says the cosmological argument commits the fallacy of composition?

Answer 9

Russell

Question 10

How may the fallacy of composition fit into the cosmological argument?

Answer 10

Just because everything in the universe has a cause, it doesn’t mean the universe itself has a cause

Question 11

What did Hume question about the line of infinite regression?

Answer 11

Why do we stop the line of infinite regression at God? Did something create God? Why is God the uncaused cause?

Question 12

What argument does Hume think Aquinas is making in the cosmological argument?

Answer 12

Arguing God’s existence is logically necessary

Question 13

What will any statement about existence always be? And what does this mean?

Answer 13

Any statement about existence will always be synthetic - it can or cannot be the case; its either true or false

Question 14

What does Russel say the statement “God exists necessarily” is

Answer 14

It’s either true or not

Question 15

What is the statement “a bachelor is an unmarried man” and why?

Answer 15

Analytic because its just true by definition

Question 16

What does Russell suggest the universe is?

Answer 16

A brute fact - no explanation, it just is

Question 17

What may a strength of the cosmo arg be in terms of what makes sense?

Answer 17

It makes sense to say theres an initial cause to the universe

Question 18

What may a strength be of the cosmological argument?

Answer 18

Its based on knowledge - a posteriori

Question 19

Name of a strength of the cosmo arg in terms of what is reaffirms

Answer 19

It reaffirms and compliments traditional attributes about God

Question 20

What in terms of humans is a strength of the arg?

Answer 20

Humans are trying to find a rational explanation