the cosmological argument

Question 1

what is Aquinas’ third way based on?

Answer 1

• observation

- making it a posteriori and inductive

Question 2

what is Aquinas’ third way?

Answer 2

• the argument from contingency and necessity

Question 3

how is Aquinas’ third way expressed today?

Answer 3

P1- everything can exist or not exist if everything is contingent
P2- if everything’s contingent, then at one point there was nothing
P3- nothing can come from nothing
C1- something must exist necessarily, otherwise there’d be nothing
P4- everything necessary must be caused or uncaused
P5- series of necessary existence cannot be infinite
C2- there must be an uncaused being
C3- this must be God

Question 4

what is a contingent being?

Answer 4

• if its existence is dependant on something

Question 5

what is a necessary being?

Answer 5

• something which cannot fail to exist

Question 6

what is the first cause?

Answer 6

• the uncaused beginning of all other things, initiating all other things

Question 7

what does Russell argue the third way commits?

Answer 7

• the fallacy of composition

Question 8

what is the fallacy of composition?

Answer 8

• the fallacy of inferring something is true of the whole from the fact its true of the part of the whole

Question 9

what does Russell say about the fallacy of composition?

Answer 9

• we cannot assume that just because we can explain the existence of parts of the universe, we can explain the universe as a whole

Question 10

what’s a quote by Russell?

Answer 10

“the universe needs no explanation, it is just there and that’s all”

Question 11

what does Hume suggest exists as necessary existence as a criticism?

Answer 11

• the universe

- It conforms with the principle of Occam’s Razor

Question 12

what is the principle of Occam’s Razor?

Answer 12

• if there are competing hypothesises, choose the one that makes the fewest assumptions

Question 13

what does Russel suggests the universe exists as?

Answer 13

• a brute fact

- this is the simplest explanation of why the universe exists as an unexplainable brute fact

Question 14

what would you reply to Russell when he says the universe exists as an unexplainable brute fact?

Answer 14

• science works on the assumption theirs no brute facts, otherwise science wouldn’t work

Question 15

what are weaknesses of the cosmological argument?

Answer 15

• commits the fallacy of composition(Russell)
• we cannot show the existence of any animal is logically necessary(Hume, Russell)
• the universe itself may be the necessary being(Hume)
• the universe exists as a brute fact(Russell)
• whys there only one necessary being?

Question 16

In what way can you say its not ‘proof’?

Answer 16

• in the logical sense, inductive arguments deal in probabilities rather than proofs
• it doesn’t convince atheists

Question 17

how can you say this argument is ‘proof’?

Answer 17

• the third way could give the support for reason and philosophy to what they already believe through faith
• a transcendent God is overwhelmingly probable as the cause of the universe