The Cosmological Argument

Question 0

what is impossible in kalam arguments?

Answer 0

impossibility of an actual infinity in temporal regress

Question 1

what may the cosmological argument fit with?

Answer 1

scientific evidence

Question 2

what did aquinas say was impossible?

Answer 2

impossibility of infinite contingency

Question 3

what did william lane craig say regarding the cause of the universe?

Answer 3

universe must have began to exist at a point in time -must be a finite

1. everything has a cause of its existence
2. universe began to exist
3. must have a cause

Question 4

what did quentin smith say?

Answer 4

universe could exist without an efficient cause

Question 5

what is aquinas’s 2nd argument?

Answer 5

from causation

Question 6

what was aquinas’s first way?

Answer 6

argument from motion

potentiality - actuality

Question 7

what is aquinas’s 3rd way?

Answer 7

argument from contingency

Question 8

what are the 3 main points in aquinas’s cosmological argument?

Answer 8

1. order
2. necessary being
3. god and his existence

Question 9

what were hume’s criticisms of the cosmological argument?

Answer 9

• not everything has to have a cause
• fallacy of composition
• what is the cause of God?
• why does everything have to intelligatable cause?
• wouldn’t prove a good theist god

Question 10

where did aquinas present his cosmological argument?

Answer 10

his book - summa theologiae

Question 11

things in the world are in a process of ………….. (first way)

Answer 11

motion

Question 12

what is everything that is in motion in a state of? (first way)

Answer 12

changing from potential to actual

Question 13

what can’t the same thing be? (first way)

Answer 13

it cannot be potentially and actually the same thing

Question 14

what does it mean if everything is in a state of motion? (first way)

Answer 14

it must have been put there by something else

Question 15

what can you not have within motion? (first way)

Answer 15

a chain of movers that goes on forever

Question 16

what is the conclusion from aquinas’s first way?

Answer 16

there must be a first mover, understood to be god

Question 17

what is an efficient cause of itself? (second way)

Answer 17

nothing

Question 18

how to efficient causes follow? (second way)

Answer 18

in order: a first cause causes a second, a second a third and so on.

Question 19

what is it not possible for efficient causes to do? (second way)

Answer 19

go back to infinity

Question 20

what is an efficient cause also?

Answer 20

a necessary cause

Question 21

what is infinite regression?

Answer 21

chain of events that goes backwards forever

Question 22

what is an example of infinite regression?

Answer 22

domino rally

what caused the final domino in the chain to fall? the previous one

Question 23

what is every domino in the chain? (infinite regression)

Answer 23

potentially the cause of the next one falling

Question 24

what is aquinas’s 3rd way?

Answer 24

argument from contingency

Question 25

what do all things in nature do? (3rd way)

Answer 25

change

Question 26

what is it possible for things to be/do? (3rd way)

Answer 26

it is possible for these things not to be, then to come into existence, and then cease to exist

Question 27

if the idea of things coming in and out of existence is true - what must there have been at some point?

Answer 27

nothing

Question 28

if there was nothing at one point - what then must there have been?

Answer 28

something necessary to bring contingent things into existence, since nothing can come from nothing

Question 29

what can come from nothing? (3rd way)

Answer 29

nothing

Question 30

what is the necessary being that caused contingent things to come into existence understood to be?

Answer 30

GOD

Question 31

what did hume say regarding cause? CRITICISM

Answer 31

that not everything has to have a cause

Question 32

what did hume say we automatically do with cause and effect?CRITICISM

Answer 32

we put cause and effect together by habit rather than having any evidence that one cause the other

Question 33

what does hume say about the idea of just one cause? CRITICISM

Answer 33

there is nothing to say we can’t have more than one cause

Question 34

what does hume question about infinite regress? CRITICISM

Answer 34

as to why the idea of infinite regress is impossible

Question 35

what is hume’s fallacy of composition? CRITICISM

Answer 35

is it necessary for the whole universe to have a cause just because everything within could be explained with reference to a cause

Question 36

what did russell and copleston agree on?

Answer 36

a definition of God

’ a supreme personal being distinct from the world and creator of the world’

Question 37

who was copleston?

Answer 37

catholic priest

Question 38

who was russell?

Answer 38

athiest

Question 39

what did copleston argue? (3rd way)

Answer 39

that the universe relies on outside things for existence

Question 40

where does copleston say the cause of the universe must be? (3rd way)

Answer 40

outside of the universe

Question 41

what does copleston say the cause of the universe must be? (3rd way)

Answer 41

self causing, a necessary being and existing outside of the universe

Question 42

who is god to copleston? (3rd way)

Answer 42

god is ‘his own sufficient cause’ - different from a contingent being

Question 43

what did russell reply to copleston saying? (3rd way)

Answer 43

that the concept of cause is made up through observation

Question 44

what does russell say the explanation of the universe is? (3rd way)

Answer 44

beyond human understanding

Question 45

what does russell say it is unnecessary for humans to know? (3rd way)

Answer 45

what happens outside of the universe

Question 46

what does russell say about the cause of the universe? (3rd way)

Answer 46

The universe does not need a cause. It is just there. It just exists. (brute fact)