The Cosmological Arguement

Question 1

What does contingent mean?

Answer 1

A truth that could be otherwise

Question 2

What are the main points of the cosmological argument?

Answer 2

1- everything that exists aha a cause of its existence (everything in the universe exist contingently)
2- the universe exists (something that exists contingently has an explanation of why it exists)
3- therefore something must have caused the universe to exist - the explanation may be provided by the existence of some other contingent being
4- because of what god is it must be God - the repeat this and infinity is no explanation of why anything exists - so what explains why contingent being exists at all can only be a non-contingent being
5- therefore God exists - this non-contingent being is God

Question 3

What are God’s characteristics?

Answer 3

• Immortal
• eternal
• omnibenevolent
• immanent
• non contingent
• omnipotent — power to cause the universe
• omniscient - knowledge to create/ cause
• creator - creativity to cause a universe
• transcendent - outside of the universe - cause it
• ineffable

Question 4

Who are Russel and Copelston?

Answer 4

They are theologians who had a debate on radio

• criticising the argument from contingent experience - Russel
• defending the argument from contingent experience - Copelston

Question 5

What are the criticisms for contingent experience?

Answer 5

• a form of explanation developed for part of the universe needn’t apply to the universe as a whole
• we cannot know that in face every contingent being has such an explanation without this the argument fails to be deductive
• it is not God but matter/energy that is a necessary being. The total amount of energy in the universe remains constant. Therefore energy is a necessary being (god of the gaps -gaps in knowledge)

Question 6

What are the arguments for contingent experience?

Answer 6

• if every part of the universe ceased to exist then do would the universe itself, the universe is like all its parts
• this objection can be avoided if we give up the idea that the cosmological argument is deductive and claim that it is an inference instead
• however, the Big Bang Theory suggests that matter energy was created along with time and space. The universe came into existence therefore must be contingent