01 Arguements For Gods Existence - A Cosmological Flashcards
(22 cards)
What does a posteriori mean?
After experience
What is inductive reasoning?
Reasoning based on experience.
What is empirical evidence?
Experience from senses.
What type of conclusions inductive arguements reach?
Probable conclusions.
Why do inductive arguments only reach probable conclusions?
There are always other possible conclusions.
What is the cosmological argument based on?
The premise that the fact that the universe exists requires an explanation.
What is the premise of the cosmological arguement?
Premise 1: everything has a cause
Premise 2: the universe has a cause
Conclusion: this cause is God.
What are Thomas Aquinas’ first 3 ways?
-motion
-cause
-contingency.
Explain Aquinas’ first way, motion/change
-everything observable in nature.
-things are in a state of change or motion.
-observed that things do not change of their own accord but are changed or moved by something else.
-if we follow the sequence of movements/change we would arrive at the thing which started the whole sequence off.
-we need to find the thing which started those things. Something outside the universe.
-this is God.
For Aristotle what was the first thing to cause motion or change called?
The prime mover
For Aquinas what was the first thing to cause motion or change called?
The unmoved mover
For Aristotle and Aquinas when can change only take place?
When something that possesses actuality acts on that which is in a state of potentiality.
Explain Aquinas second way, cause.
-Aquinas observed a series of causes and effects in the universe.
-he stated that nothing can cause itself.
-Aquinas rejected infinite regress, the universe cannot go back forever.
-he argued that there must have been a first uncaused cause.
-this he argues is God.
What is contingency?
Has a beginning and depends on something.
Explain Aquinas’ third way, contingency.
-Aquinas identified the contingency of things - things come into existence and then later cease to exist.
-contingent beings depend on something else for their existence.
-Aquinas came to the conclusion that if everything in existence was contingent nothing would have ever come into existence.
-he argues that there must be a necessary being to bring everything else into existence.
-for Aquinas, this is God.
Who was the most famous version of the Kalam arguement for forward by?
William Lane Craig
Who does the kalam arguement originate with?
Islamic philosophers such as Al Ghazali.
What is the Kalam argument?
1.Everything that begins to exist has a cause of its existence.
2.the universe began to exist.
3.therefore the universe has a cause of its existence.
-there is no scientific explanation to explain the origin of the universe so it must be personal
-the being must be omnibonevolent and omnipotent.
Why does W.L.Craig reject actual infinity?
-actual infinity has no beginning and no end.
-if actual infinity were real, we would never reach the present moment.
Why does W.L.Craig accept potential infinity?
-there is a beginning but no end.
-like the future - events are constantly being added the the sum total.
What is the difference between actual infinity and potential infinity?
Actual infinity and no beginning and no end while potential infinity does have a beginning but still no end.
Give an example of actual infinity.
Imagine a library with an infinite number of books.
Suppose the library also contains an infinite number of red and an infinite number of black books, so that for every red book there is a black book and vice versa.
The library must contain as many red books as the total number of books in the collection. In reality there cannot be as many red books as there are red and black together.
Hence, actual infinities cannot exist.
