Theme1A Cosological Argument Flashcards
What does the word ‘philosophy’ mean?
The word philosophy comes from the Greek ‘philo’ and ‘sophos’, which mean love and wisdom.
What is the focus of the philosophy of religion?
The philosophy of religion analyses the central concepts, beliefs and teachings relating to religion.
What are philosophical arguments composed of?
Philosophical arguments consist of a series of premises that lead towards a conclusion.
What is a valid argument?
The conclusion logically follows from the preceding premises without any gaps in reasoning during the premises or any unexplained new information in the conclusion.
What is a sound argument?
The information in the premises must be accurate, and the logical process must be a valid one.
Define ‘premise’.
A premise is a proposition that is the basis for a conclusion.
Define ‘conclusion’.
A conclusion is a decision arrived at via a reasoning process.
What is the first argument presented as valid and sound?
P: I was born in Littlehampton. P: Littlehampton is on the Sussex coast. Therefore, I was born on the Sussex coast.
What is the second argument presented as not valid or sound?
P: I was born in Littlehampton. P: Littlehampton is on the Scottish coast. Therefore, my birth certificate says Scotland on it.
What is an inductive argument?
An inductive argument gives a conclusion that is one of several possibilities.
Provide an example of an inductive argument.
‘I sneezed, therefore I have a cold.’
What forms can evidence take in philosophical proofs?
Evidence can be either empirical or rational in form.
What is empirical evidence?
Empirical evidence is sensory data from the physical world.
What is rational evidence?
Rational evidence is intellectual reasoning without empirical data, e.g., mathematics.
What is the cosmological argument?
The cosmological argument for the existence of God is a philosophical proof for the existence of God.
What does Aquinas’ First Argument address?
Aquinas’ First Argument addresses the process of change.
What is ‘potentiality’ in the context of Aquinas’ arguments?
Potentiality refers to something that has the capacity to change.
What is the conclusion of Aquinas’ First Argument?
There must be a prime mover.
What does Aquinas’ Second Argument focus on?
Aquinas’ Second Argument focuses on cause and effect.
What is the significance of Aquinas’ Five Arguments?
Aquinas’ Five Arguments are a posteriori arguments based on Aristotelian reasoning.
What does a posteriori mean?
It refers to knowledge that is derived from empirical evidence or data.
‘A posteriori’ is Latin for ‘from the latter’ or ‘from what comes after,’ indicating that conclusions are drawn from observed phenomena.
What is the cosmological argument?
It is a philosophical argument for the existence of God based on the existence and nature of the universe.
The argument relies on the premise that everything that exists has a cause, leading to the conclusion of a first cause or prime mover.
Who was St Thomas Aquinas?
An Italian, Roman Catholic, Dominican monk known for integrating Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology.
He lived from approximately 1225 to 1274 and is famous for his work ‘Summa Theologica’.
What are the first three Ways in Aquinas’ Five Ways?
They are logical arguments for God’s existence based on motion, cause and effect, and necessity.
These arguments are a posteriori and draw upon empiricist reasoning.
What does the term ‘actuality’ refer to in Aquinas’ argument?
An item’s present state.
In the context of motion, it describes what something currently is.
What does the term ‘potentiality’ refer to?
A possible future state of an item.
It indicates what something can become, as opposed to what it currently is.
What is the First Way of Aquinas?
It states that some things are in motion, and a thing in motion must be moved by something else.
It concludes that there cannot be an infinite regress of movers, leading to the necessity of a first unmoved mover.
What is the core premise of the Second Way of Aquinas?
It concerns cause and effect, focusing on how things come into existence rather than how they change states.
This argument emphasizes that every effect must have a cause.
Fill in the blank: The chain of movement cannot infinitely go back in time, leading to the conclusion of a _______.
first mover
True or False: The cosmological argument is an a priori argument.
False
The cosmological argument is an a posteriori argument, relying on empirical evidence.
What is the significance of Aristotle in Aquinas’ philosophy?
Aquinas was impressed by Aristotle’s empiricist style of reasoning and applied it to Christianity.
Aristotle’s influence is evident in Aquinas’ logical arguments for the existence of God.
What does Aquinas mean by ‘motion’?
The process of change from one state (actuality) to another state (potentiality).
This concept is central to his First Way argument.
What is the relationship between actuality and potentiality in Aquinas’ First Way?
Actuality is the current state, while potentiality is what the item can become through motion.
For example, wood has the actuality of being cold and the potentiality to become hot.
What does the Second Way argue regarding existence?
Everything that exists has been created - it has an efficient cause
The Second Way emphasizes that nothing can cause itself and concludes there must be an uncaused first causer.
What is the conclusion of the Second Way?
There must be an uncaused first causer or unmoved mover
This argument does not necessarily identify this causer as the God of classical theism.
What are the main points of Aquinas’ Third Way?
- There are contingent items
- If everything were contingent, nothing would exist
- Infinite regress of contingent items is impossible
- Therefore, not all things are contingent
- There must be a necessary being to start the chain of contingency
- That necessary being is God
Define contingent.
Dependent upon something else for its existence; can begin and cease to exist
Contingent items require a cause for their existence.
Define necessary.
Not reliant on anything else for its existence; cannot not exist
Necessary beings cannot start or cease to exist.
What is the Kalam cosmological argument?
The argument states that: * Things that begin to exist have a cause * The universe began to exist * The universe must have a cause
Who popularized the Kalam cosmological argument in 1979?
William Lane Craig
The Kalam argument was developed by Islamic scholars and has Aristotelian roots.
What does part one of the Kalam argument state?
Whatever begins to exist has a cause
This part emphasizes that an actual infinite universe cannot consist of a series of consecutive events.
What is the issue with an actual infinite universe?
An actual infinite universe would never reach the present moment because preceding events would be infinite
The present moment exists due to a series of consecutive events.
What does William Lane Craig argue about the universe?
It is not possible that the universe is infinite; infinity is not logically possible
Craig argues that finite things begin and thus cannot cause themselves.
What logical problems are associated with set theory?
- To add to or subtract from infinite sets
- Half an infinite set is illogical
Set theory studies the properties and relationships of sets, including infinite sets.
What is a personal creator in the context of the Kalam argument?
The universe was caused by a personal creator who acted deliberately
This suggests that the first cause of the universe must be sentient and intelligent.
What is an example of an efficient cause?
A sculptor is the efficient cause of a statue
Efficient cause refers to something that creates or brings about another thing.
What does a priori mean?
Before empirical evidence
A priori reasoning is based on theoretical deduction rather than observation.
Can you explain Aquinas’ view on motion?
Aquinas used motion as an example to illustrate the need for a first mover in his arguments
The concept of motion is foundational in understanding Aquinas’ philosophical arguments.
How is the Second Way different from the First Way?
The Second Way focuses on causes while the First Way emphasizes motion
Each Way presents a different aspect of the argument for the existence of God.
What is the significance of the necessary being according to Aquinas?
The necessary being starts off the chain of contingency
Aquinas argues that this being is essential for the existence of contingent beings.
What is the conclusion about the nature of the universe?
The universe is not infinite, so it must be finite.
What follows from the premise that finite things begin?
Everything that begins is caused to do so (nothing can cause itself).
What is the implication of the universe being caused to exist?
The universe was caused to exist.
What is set theory?
Set theory studies the classification of items into groups or sets.
What logical problems arise from the concept of an infinite set?
- To add to or subtract from an infinite set would mean it isn’t infinite.
- Half an infinite set is equal to the whole, so it cannot be subdivided.
What is successive addition?
Consecutively adding items to a set with the potential to carry on forever.
What is a potential infinite?
A set formed through successive addition that is not actually infinite.
What are the two possibilities for the cause of the universe according to the Kalam argument?
- Caused deliberately
- By mindless laws of nature
Why can’t the laws of nature be the cause of the universe?
The laws of nature belong to the universe and didn’t exist before it began.
What does deliberate action require?
A personal being with a will.
What does the beginning of the universe signify?
The beginning of the universe was the beginning of time.
What qualities does the personal being have according to the argument?
- Transcendent
- The cause of the universe
- Powerful
- Sentient
- Intelligent
What is actual infinity?
A boundless or limitless set.
What is successive addition also known as?
Continuous adding of one more to a set.
What is a typical mistake students make regarding the Kalam argument?
Students often focus too much on the first stage and forget to address the proof of a personal God.
Define a posteriori.
Knowledge that is dependent on experience or empirical evidence.
Define inductive.
A type of reasoning that draws general conclusions from specific examples.
What are Aquinas’ first three Ways?
- Argument from motion
- Argument from causation
- Argument from contingency
What is the Kalam argument?
An argument that asserts the universe has a cause.
Explain both parts of Lane Craig’s Kalam argument.
- The universe was caused to exist.
- A personal being exists outside of the universe and time as the first cause.
Could the universe have been formed from pre-existent matter?
This is a question for consideration.
