Cosmological Argument Flashcards
(33 cards)
What is the cosmological argument?
The cosmological argument is a philosophical argument for the existence of God, used by Catholics, which includes reference to Thomas Aquinas’ First Three Ways of showing God’s existence.
What are Thomas Aquinas’ First Three Ways?
Three of Aquinas’ five ways to prove the existence of God focus on the cosmological argument, emphasizing chains of cause and effect.
What is the logic behind Aquinas’ cosmological argument?
Aquinas argues that chains of cause and effect must logically have a start; if there were no start, there would be no end.
What does Aquinas say about the start of the chain?
Aquinas notes that whatever is at the start of the chains cannot have a cause itself, or it would not be the start of the chain.
How can we understand the concept of a chain of cause and effect?
If you observe thousands of carriages at a train station, you would conclude there is a train at the start of the chain, which causes the movement of the carriages.
What do Catholics believe about the cosmological argument?
Catholics believe the cosmological argument shows important truths about the nature of God.
How do Catholics respond to non-religious arguments against the cosmological argument?
Catholics provide responses to non-religious arguments, including those from atheists and Humanists, that challenge the cosmological argument as evidence for God’s existence.
What does Aquinas mean by motion?
Aquinas states that everything in the universe is in motion, meaning things are changing.
What is required for something to move according to Aquinas?
Things only move if they are moved by something else.
What is the implication of the chain of motion?
Whatever makes something move must itself be made to move by something else. However, this chain cannot go back forever.
What exists as the ‘first mover’?
Therefore, there exists a ‘first mover’, something that moves other things but is not moved itself. This is God.
What does Aquinas state in the second way?
Aquinas states that everything in the universe is caused by something else.
What is the implication of the chain of causation?
But whatever causes something must itself be caused by something else. However, this chain cannot go back forever.
What is the conclusion of the second way?
Therefore, there exists something that is not caused by anything else. This is God.
What does ‘contingent’ mean?
Contingent things rely on something else for their existence.
Can you give an example of contingent beings?
Human beings are contingent because we rely on our parents to cause our existence and we are also contingent on things like oxygen.
What does ‘necessary’ mean?
Necessary things do not rely on anything else to exist.
What does Aquinas say about everything in the world?
Aquinas says that everything we see in the world is contingent, meaning it relies upon something for its existence.
What would happen if everything in the universe relied on something else for its existence?
If everything relied on something else, there would have been a point where nothing was in existence, which is absurd.
What must exist if everything contingent relies on something else?
There must be a necessary cause that does not rely on anything else to bring it into existence.
Who does the necessary cause description fit?
The necessary cause description could only fit God.
Why might Catholics argue the Argument from the Cosmological proves God exists?
Catholics may argue it is strong evidence because it is based on our experience that everything has a cause.
What does science tell us about existence?
Science tells us that everything has a cause, and we can observe this for ourselves.
What logical reasoning supports the Cosmological argument?
It makes sense that if there is an end to a chain, there must be a start.
