cosmological

• Cosmological argument: come from natural theology, they use the world around us to prove God's existence. Universe cannot account for its own existence. Has a very long history ==> Plato argued that there must be some cause that has created everything. Aristotle argued an unmoved mover.
• First three of the Aquinas' 5 ways are different variants of the cosmological argument. He based his argument on 2 assumptions:

  1. the universe exists
  2. there must be a reason why
• Aquinas' first way: the unmoved mover

  • we observe that things are in motion
  • something must have set them into motion
  • a thing cannot cause itself to move
  • there must be an unmoved mover
  • this was pre-newtonian understanding
  • could not infinitely regress
  • the unmoved mover is called God
• Aquinas' 2nd way: The Uncaused Cause

  • we observe efficient causation
  • nothing can cause itself
  • If A is the efficient cause of B, then if A doesn’t exist neither does B
  • there must be an uncaused cause to avoid infinite regression
  • this must be God
• The first and second way attempt to show God must exist as the first mover or causer. The word ‘first’ in the concept of a first cause or first mover is not meant to indicate it being ‘first’ in time, but ontologically first in the sense that motion and causation are ontologically dependent on it.
• Aquinas' third way: contingency or necessity

  • the world consists of contingent beings
  • dependent on something else for their existence
  • If there was once nothing, there would be nothing now, which is absurd
  • There must be a necessary being “having of itself its own necessity ->That thing we call God.
• Gottfried Leibniz:

  • German Philosopher
  • argued with newton over who invented calculus
  • universe better understood in terms of relationships of space and time rather than facts
  • why is their something rather than nothing
• Principle of Sufficient Reason by Gottfried Leibniz:

  • if something exists there must be a reason why that exists
  • if a statement is true, there must be a reason why the statement is true
  • if something happens there must be a reason why something happens
  • a reason for eternal existence ==> God
• Humes Criticisms of the cosmological argument:

  • cannot establish for certain the principle of cause and effect
  • cannot infer a cause greater than that required to produce the effect. We observe an imperfect and limited world, perhaps the cause is also finite
  • no statement about existence can be logically necessary ==> Humes fork ==> no logical contradiction
  • what if the universe was eternal
  • matter has to exist => universe is necessary
• Fallacy of Composition (Hume's criticism of Cosmological Argument):

  • we don't need to explain the universe as a whole
  • there doesn't need a mother for the whole human race =>Russell
• For the Cosmological argument: William Lane Craig

  • based on Aristotle's Prime Mover
  • against infinite regression
  • Refined in the 11th Century by Islamic Scholar Al-Ghazali

  1. whatever begins to exist has a cause
  2. the universe began to exist
  3. therefore the universe has a cause

  • William was a Christian
  • he thought it was absurd to think that something could come into existence without a cause
  • "Transcending the entire universe there exists a cause which brought the universe into being ex nihilo. our whole universe was caused to exist by something beyond it and greater than it"
• Al-Ghazali:

  • Islamic Philosopher and Scholar
  • believes God is the only efficient cause
  • every event in creation follows a pre-determined plan that is eternally present in God’s knowledge
• Could the Kalam Cosmological Argument be true?

  Many scientists say there was a beginning. The Big Bang is a theory in which all matter, energy and time was created 12.5 billion years ago. Edwin Hubble => 'the universe is expanding outwards'
• The Big Bang Theory ==> Criticism of Cosmological Argument

  • 1920s ==>Edwin Hubble observed that light from the stars became redder the further they travelled from the earth -->> the universe was expanding outwards
  • The Big Bang Theory was expanded on and or created by Catholic Priest and cosmologist Georges Lemaître in 1931
  • The Theory suggests all matter was compacted into a very small ball with infinite density and intense heat called a Singularity. Suddenly, the Singularity began expanding, and the universe as we know it began
  • started about 12-15 billion years ago
• Arguments against the cosmological argument:

  1. WHATEVER BEGINS TO EXIST HAS A CAUSE: things aren't the way they seem, quantum physics effects without causes, could've existed before
  2. THE UNIVERSE BEGAN TO EXIST: what about a multiverse, we don't know the origins of other universes
  3. THEREFORE THE UNIVERSE MUST HAVE A CAUSE: the multive may or may not have a cause
• Points that lead to the Kalam Argument being a fallacy

  • metaverse ( multiverse) may exist
  • our universe is hostile ==> God can't exist if he created a hostile world
  • AI => one day may create a virtual world in which they don't know they are virtual
  • need a naturalistic explanation
• irreducible complexity' argument: Behe believes he has found the systems Darwin overlooked: By irreducibly complex I mean a single system composed of several well-matched, interacting parts that contribute to the basic function, wherein the removal of any one of the parts causes the system to effectively cease functioning
• F.R. Tennant, in his book; 'Philosophical Theology' said that there must be a designer because; The universe perfectly fits the development of life.