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Flashcards in The Cosmological Argument Deck (47)
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0
Q

what is impossible in kalam arguments?

A

impossibility of an actual infinity in temporal regress

1
Q

what may the cosmological argument fit with?

A

scientific evidence

2
Q

what did aquinas say was impossible?

A

impossibility of infinite contingency

3
Q

what did william lane craig say regarding the cause of the universe?

A

universe must have began to exist at a point in time -must be a finite

  1. everything has a cause of its existence
  2. universe began to exist
  3. must have a cause
4
Q

what did quentin smith say?

A

universe could exist without an efficient cause

5
Q

what is aquinas’s 2nd argument?

A

from causation

6
Q

what was aquinas’s first way?

A

argument from motion

potentiality - actuality

7
Q

what is aquinas’s 3rd way?

A

argument from contingency

8
Q

what are the 3 main points in aquinas’s cosmological argument?

A
  1. order
  2. necessary being
  3. god and his existence
9
Q

what were hume’s criticisms of the cosmological argument?

A
  • not everything has to have a cause
  • fallacy of composition
  • what is the cause of God?
  • why does everything have to intelligatable cause?
  • wouldn’t prove a good theist god
10
Q

where did aquinas present his cosmological argument?

A

his book - summa theologiae

11
Q

things in the world are in a process of ………….. (first way)

A

motion

12
Q

what is everything that is in motion in a state of? (first way)

A

changing from potential to actual

13
Q

what can’t the same thing be? (first way)

A

it cannot be potentially and actually the same thing

14
Q

what does it mean if everything is in a state of motion? (first way)

A

it must have been put there by something else

15
Q

what can you not have within motion? (first way)

A

a chain of movers that goes on forever

16
Q

what is the conclusion from aquinas’s first way?

A

there must be a first mover, understood to be god

17
Q

what is an efficient cause of itself? (second way)

A

nothing

18
Q

how to efficient causes follow? (second way)

A

in order: a first cause causes a second, a second a third and so on.

19
Q

what is it not possible for efficient causes to do? (second way)

A

go back to infinity

20
Q

what is an efficient cause also?

A

a necessary cause

21
Q

what is infinite regression?

A

chain of events that goes backwards forever

22
Q

what is an example of infinite regression?

A

domino rally

what caused the final domino in the chain to fall? the previous one

23
Q

what is every domino in the chain? (infinite regression)

A

potentially the cause of the next one falling

24
Q

what is aquinas’s 3rd way?

A

argument from contingency

25
Q

what do all things in nature do? (3rd way)

A

change

26
Q

what is it possible for things to be/do? (3rd way)

A

it is possible for these things not to be, then to come into existence, and then cease to exist

27
Q

if the idea of things coming in and out of existence is true - what must there have been at some point?

A

nothing

28
Q

if there was nothing at one point - what then must there have been?

A

something necessary to bring contingent things into existence, since nothing can come from nothing

29
Q

what can come from nothing? (3rd way)

A

nothing

30
Q

what is the necessary being that caused contingent things to come into existence understood to be?

A

GOD

31
Q

what did hume say regarding cause? CRITICISM

A

that not everything has to have a cause

32
Q

what did hume say we automatically do with cause and effect?CRITICISM

A

we put cause and effect together by habit rather than having any evidence that one cause the other

33
Q

what does hume say about the idea of just one cause? CRITICISM

A

there is nothing to say we can’t have more than one cause

34
Q

what does hume question about infinite regress? CRITICISM

A

as to why the idea of infinite regress is impossible

35
Q

what is hume’s fallacy of composition? CRITICISM

A

is it necessary for the whole universe to have a cause just because everything within could be explained with reference to a cause

36
Q

what did russell and copleston agree on?

A

a definition of God

’ a supreme personal being distinct from the world and creator of the world’

37
Q

who was copleston?

A

catholic priest

38
Q

who was russell?

A

athiest

39
Q

what did copleston argue? (3rd way)

A

that the universe relies on outside things for existence

40
Q

where does copleston say the cause of the universe must be? (3rd way)

A

outside of the universe

41
Q

what does copleston say the cause of the universe must be? (3rd way)

A

self causing, a necessary being and existing outside of the universe

42
Q

who is god to copleston? (3rd way)

A

god is ‘his own sufficient cause’ - different from a contingent being

43
Q

what did russell reply to copleston saying? (3rd way)

A

that the concept of cause is made up through observation

44
Q

what does russell say the explanation of the universe is? (3rd way)

A

beyond human understanding

45
Q

what does russell say it is unnecessary for humans to know? (3rd way)

A

what happens outside of the universe

46
Q

what does russell say about the cause of the universe? (3rd way)

A

The universe does not need a cause. It is just there. It just exists. (brute fact)