The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God
overview
Key Philosophers
St. Thomas Aquinas
Leibinz
Prof. Copleston
Hume
Kant
Key terms
First cause, Aquinas’ Five Ways, Theists, a posteriori argument (based on
something we experience), contingency, causation, principle of sufficient
reason, infinite regress, necessary existence.
What you will learn by the end of this unit
 Cosmological Arguments for the existence of God
 Strengths of the Cosmological Argument
 Weaknesses of the Cosmological Argument
Key questions
1.
Does there need to be a first cause?
2.
Will there be a final cause?
3.
Does this argument support the Theists idea of an all loving God?
4.
What caused God?
5.
Can there be an uncaused cause?
What you will need
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Detailed notes on all aspects of the Cosmological Arguments
A summary of the strengths as a mind map or linear notes
A summary of criticisms as a mind map or linear notes
An exam style essay on the argument
The Cosmological Argument
The Cosmological Argument is based on our experience that
everything has a cause – a posteriori.
It moves on to the assumption that the universe must have a
first cause – a priori.
The theory has its origins in the thinking of Aristotle and Plato. It’s most
important advocate however, is Saint Thomas Aquinas. St. Thomas Aquinas
came up with Five Ways of explaining the existence of God.
The Five Ways
1.
The Argument from an unmoved mover
2.
The argument from an uncaused cause
3.
The argument from possibility and necessity
4.
The argument from degrees of quality
5.
The argument from design
The first three arguments form the Cosmological Argument
Aquinas’ First Way
 Everything that moves is moved by something else
 The moved is moved by something else
 The chain however cannot be infinite
 Therefore there must be an unmoved mover
 God
Aquinas’ Second Way
 Everything has a cause
 Every cause has a cause
 There can’t be an infinite number of causes
 Therefore there must be an uncaused cause
 God
Aquinas’ Third Way
 Individual things come into existence and later cease to exist
 Therefore – at one time none of them was in existence
 But – something comes into existence only as a result of something else
that already exists
 Therefore there must be a being whose existence is necessary
 God