The Cosmological Argument Flashcards
What are the three ways described by Aquinas?
The Prime Mover
The First Cause
The Necessary Being
Who came up with the Cosmological Argument?
St. Thomas Aquinas
Describe the first way…
Give an example too.
The Prime Mover- everything has the potential to be something, however something, the prime mover, needs to move things from potentiality to actuality.
For example, coal has the potential to be a diamond however pressure needs to be put into it to make it happen. It needs to be moved from coal, potentiality, to a diamond, actuality.
Describe the second way and give an example…
The First/Efficient Cause- everything in the world has a cause nothing can come from nothing (ex nihilo), however there cannot be infinite regress (an unlimited chain of events). Therefore there needs to be a first cause which needs to be uncaused… His must be God.
Eg. Your cause is your parents etc.
Describe the third way and give an example…
Necessary Being- everything in the world is contingent (depends on something else for its existence) so there must be something which everything depends on to exist. This must be necessary (sufficient reason for existence within itself), as otherwise nothing would exist. It must also be outside of time and space because nothing in time and space is necessary. This being must be God.
For example humans depend on water for existence.
Describe the Cosmological Argument.
The cosmological argument is an attempt to prove the existence of God through the existence of the universe.
What is an A Posteriori argument?
An A Posteriori argument is one which depends on pre-existing evidence. The argument comes after the evidence.
The Cosmological Argument is an example, where the universe is the evidence.
What is an inductive argument?
An inductive argument us one which uses the evidence to come to the most likely answer. Therefore you can agree and disagree with the conclusion as the premises support the conclusion, but don’t make it necessary.
Eg. Most people like chocolate cake
Polly is a person
She must like chocolate cake.
What is a synthetic argument?
The truth can only be determined by experience or observation in a synthetic argument. The conclusion is true because of experience.
Who influence Aquinas?
Plato- “Shall we say then that it’s is the soul which controls heaven and earth.”
Plato distinguished things based on whether or not they had the power to move things. Primary movers could only be souls. So whatever caused the universe must have a soul.
Aristotle- “The series must start with something,mince nothing can come from nothing.” Metaphysics.
Aristotle believe that all changes in the universe must come from some ultimate source. It isn’t possible for there not to be a first cause- nothing comes from nothing. There must be an initial cause.
Describe Ockham’s razor. Describe how Ockham’s razor supports and critiques Aquinas’ Cosmological Argument.
“Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily.” This means that the simplest solution is the best solution too.
It can be said that the simplest answer for why the universe exists is God. Swinburne said that this was true.
On the other hand the universe could just exist or the Big Bang could be the cause.
Why is being A Posteriori a strength of the Cosmological Argument?
It uses evidence which we all experience which makes it appealing as people always look for an answer or ask similar questions.
Describe some of the strengths of the Cosmological Argument.
It is a solution for the existence of God as well as the universe.
It encompasses the Big Bang Theory.
It doesn’t anthropomorphise God (make him too small). It could also apply to any God.
Describe Copleston’s views.
Copleston developed the third way and said that necessary beings must hold sufficient reason for their existence within themselves. Sufficient reason is an adequate explanation.
Describe Russell’s views.
Russell believed that there was no point questioning the existence of the universe and said that it has no meaning. He used brute fact and said that the universe just is, and that asking for an explanation in asking for an answer which we cannot comprehend. This means that we would not know if we had found the solution.
He also said that the argument contains fallacy of composition- Aquinas has falsely ascribed properties of parts of the whole to the whole. E.g humans have a mother so the universe must do too.
