Cosmological Argument

Cosmological Argument

1. A posteriori

   • knowledge gained 'after experience'
     • in this case, experience of the universe & world

2. 3 premises

   • Everything that exists has a cause
     • The universe exists, so must have a cause
       • That cause is God

3. Aquinas

   • Ways to prove God
     • 1. Change/motion: Things do not change without a cause
       • It is necessary to arrive at a first mover affected by no other: God
     • 2. Cause: There must be a chain of causes, the first being God
       • It is necessary to admit a first efficient cause: God
     • 3.Contingency: A future event that is not certain, dependent on something else
       • Everything is contingent, there must have been something that is non-contingent
         • A necessary being
   • Infinite regress: an infinite number of events in the past
     • rejected: said there must be a first event

4. Aristotle

   • Potentiality & Actuality
     • Aristotle was interested in the move from potentiality to actuality: Everything actualised has 4 causes
       • 4. final
         • The aim for which something is created
           • The prime mover only has a Final Cause???
       • 3. efficient
         • The way in which something is created
       • 2. formal
         • The expression, idea or plan that lead to the creation of something
       • 1.material
         • Everything has a material from which it was made
     • Actuality: When potential is achieved
     • Potentiality: the possibility of doing/becoming something
   • There must be a mover as all movement depends on a mover
     • Prime Mover
       • Immune to change, decay, death
       • independent of a mover (unmoved mover)
     • Observe the world: we see movement & growth

5. Russell

   • supported infinite regress, rejected necessary being & contingency
   • The Brute Fact: The universe just IS.
     • We can't understand/explain the universe fully
       • Therefore shouldn't ask questions about it
         • Because the answer would be meaningless (wouldn't understand it)
   • Fallacy of Composition
     • Falsely ascribing the properties of the parts of a whole to the whole
       • eg: things in the universe were created so the universe was also created.

6. The Roles of God

   • an explanation (the fact that there is something rather than nothing needs an explanation)
   • The sustainer of motion, causation & existence
     • cause in esse
   • God as the temporal first cause (at the beginning of time)
     • Cause in esse: brings things into existence, must be involved for continuation
     • Cause in fieri: brings things into existence but no longer involved

7. Scientific Theories

   • Anthony Kenny
     • Animals move themselves
       • Newtons 1st Law of Motion
         • A body's velocity will remain unchanged unless a force acts upon it
           • friction, gravity
             • without gravity we would be in constant motion
           • Things stop us moving as apposed to starting movement
   • steady state theory
     • energy can't be created: universe will always weigh & look the same, is eternal
   • Big Bang Theory (rejection of steady state)
     • Was there a cause for it though?
     • Could be spontaneous

8. Kalam Cosmological Argument

   • Whatever begins to exist has a cause, the universe began to exist
     • Universe can't be infinite if running out of usable energy
     • A universe that is expanding must have a starting point
     • spaceless, timeless, uncaused, immaterial, powerful

9. EXTRAS

   • Kant: NO because we don't know cause & effect are related (illusion)
   • circular logic: if God is first cause, what caused God?
   • Doesn't point to the classical theist God