The Cosmological argument Flashcards
What is the goal of cosmological arguments?
To justify the conclusion that God exists as the required explanation of the existence of the universe.
What does “a posteriori” mean in the context of cosmological arguments?
A posteriori arguments are based on experience and observation.
What observations form the premises of cosmological arguments?
The observations that everything in the universe has a cause, is in motion, or is contingent.
What inference is made based on the observations in cosmological arguments?
The inference that the origin of the universe is God.
hat does the cosmological argument conclude about the nature of the universe’s origin?
That the origin of the universe requires a creator, which is inferred to be God.
How do cosmological arguments use the concept of causality?
They observe that everything in the universe has a cause and infer that the universe itself must also have a cause, ultimately concluding that God is that cause.
What role does contingency play in cosmological arguments?
They argue that because everything in the universe is contingent (it might not have existed), there must be a necessary being (God) that explains why the universe exists.
How does the cosmological argument address motion?
By observing that everything in motion is put into motion by something else, ultimately leading to the conclusion that there must be a first mover (God).
What type of argument is the cosmological argument, a priori or a posteriori?
A posteriori, because it is based on empirical observations.
What is the ultimate conclusion of the cosmological argument regarding the universe?
That the universe requires an explanation beyond itself, and this explanation is posited to be God.
