Topic 1.1 Cosmological Argument

Question 1

What were Aquinas’ 3 ways?

Answer 1

1. Motion
2. From cause
3. Contingency

Question 2

Briefly Outline the Cosmological argument.

Answer 2

The universe must have a cause; there must be a necessary being that started everything; the only being powerful enough to do this is God; therefore God exists.

Question 3

What is the main fault with the Cosmological argument?

Answer 3

Hume makes an inductive leap and jumps from ‘There is a necessary causer’ to ‘This uncaused causer is God’

Question 4

Which philosopher raises the point of the inductive leap?

Answer 4

David Hume

Question 5

Which philosophers argue for the existence of God?

Answer 5

Thomas Aquinas, Gottfried Leibniz, Fredrick Coppleston and Immanuel Kant

Question 6

Which philosophers are against the existence of God?

Answer 6

David Hume, Bertrand Russell, Richard Swinburne

Question 7

Explain Aquinas’ first way (Motion)

Answer 7

There has to be an unmoved mover to start all motion; only God is powerful enough to be an unmoved mover and start all motion, therefore God exists.

Question 8

Explain Aquinas’ second way (from cause)

Answer 8

An uncaused causer must have caused the first thing and there will be a chain of causes, but as there cannot be infinite regress, so God is the uncaused causer, therefore God exists.

Question 9

Explain Aquinas’ third way (contingency)

Answer 9

Some things are necessary and contingent; matter in the universe is contingent; so it must have been caused by something necessary; this is God.

Question 10

Is the Cosmological Argument: A posteriori or A priori; synthetic or analytic?

Answer 10

It is synthetic and A posteriori