The Cosmological Argument

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  • Created by: Bethb310
  • Created on: 25-11-19 14:20
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  • The Cosmological Argument
    • The basis for the Cosmological Argument is that the universe cannot account for it's own existence
      • Ideas
        • 1. There must be a reason for the universe to exist.
        • 2. It's incapable for being the reason for its own existence.
        • 3. The reason must be something which is not part of the physical world of time and space.
    • A Posteriori
    • The argument suggests that something must have caused the universe to exist.
      • Our logic and empirical evidence suggests that nothing happens without something causing it to happen
        • It finally suggests that the cause is 'that which people know as God'
      • 2 Assumptions
        • 1. The universe exists
        • 2. There must be a reason why
    • Plato c.360BC
      • Everything must have been created by some cause
    • Aristotle c.347BC
      • Series of cause and effect and an unmoved mover
    • Thomas Aquinas  1225 - 1274
      • Italian Monk
      • Influential thinker within christian tradition
      • Hugely influenced by Plato and Aristotle
      • He attempted to write that Greek and Christian beliefs could work together
      • He was not creating new arguments but using old ones
      • Ultimate Explanation
        • We do not know what God is, but whatever God is, God is whatever is necessary to explain the universe's existance
    • Aquinas' 5 Ways
      • Only the first 3 apply to the cosmological argument
      • 1. From Motion
      • 2. From Efficient Causes
      • 3. From Contingency and Necessity
      • 4. From Grades of Perfection in things
      • 5. From Design

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