The Cosmological The Cosmological ArgumentArgument

What is it about?What is it about? Many religions in today’s society make claims, such as:Many religions in today’s society make claims, such as: • There is a God and that…There is a God and that…• God made the universeGod made the universe

But, Philosophy of Religion helps us QUESTION these claims. But, Philosophy of Religion helps us QUESTION these claims. So, we ask…So, we ask…

• What EVIDENCE is there to back up these claims?What EVIDENCE is there to back up these claims?• Is this evidence convincing?Is this evidence convincing?

Cosmological Argument Cosmological Argument Learning Intentions.Learning Intentions.

By the end of the lesson you should be able:By the end of the lesson you should be able:1.1. To recognise that there is a To recognise that there is a debatedebate about the about the

existenceexistence of God. of God.

2.2. To understand that there are various points To understand that there are various points for and against this argument.for and against this argument.

3.3. To be able to discuss the different points that To be able to discuss the different points that prove and disprove God’s existence.prove and disprove God’s existence.

Who created you?Who created you?

Who created the Universe?Who created the Universe?

Science can offer us explanations of things Science can offer us explanations of things that are within the universe, but does the that are within the universe, but does the universe universe as a wholeas a whole have an explanation? have an explanation?

Cosmological Argument Cosmological Argument

Is an argument which says that God has to Is an argument which says that God has to exist because the world exists.exist because the world exists.

The world couldn’t exist without God The world couldn’t exist without God because he created itbecause he created it

This argument is based on Cause and Effect.

Have you ever wondered…..

“What caused the universe to exist?”

“That’s easyThe big bang!!”

We need to take the scientific approach to thisScience tells us that everything has a cause. Let that be your starting point.

What caused the big bang??

And what causedThat cause?

And what And what caused caused that that cause?cause?

Science teaches us thateverything has a cause.

Make that your starting point.

My name is St. Thomas Aquinas

But right now I am going to follow the scientists advice.

Aquinas’ Cosmological Aquinas’ Cosmological ArgumentsArguments

Thomas Aquinas was probably the most Thomas Aquinas was probably the most important philosopher of the medieval important philosopher of the medieval period.period.

Aquinas was trying to connect/join the Aquinas was trying to connect/join the Christian faith with the philosophy of Christian faith with the philosophy of Aristotle (an ancient Greek Aristotle (an ancient Greek philosopher/scientist/mathematician) philosopher/scientist/mathematician) whose works had just been ‘re-discovered’ whose works had just been ‘re-discovered’ and were being taught in the religious and were being taught in the religious universities of Europe.universities of Europe.

Everything has a cause

Somethingmust have caused the universe

Somethingmust have causedthe big bang

Somethingmust have causedthat cause

Yes, the big bang

Somethingmust have causedthat cause

Somethingmust have causedthat cause

something must have caused that cause

something must have caused that cause

something must have caused that cause

something must have caused that cause

something must have caused that cause

something must have……….

This is getting boring.

Yes I agree(Remember me? St Thomas Aquinas)

but I have a solution!!

It’s just silly

If we keep asking“What caused that cause,”Then we’ll never stop asking it! (Infinite regress)And that just doesn’t make sense

The only sensible explanationIs that there must have been…………

a first cause a first cause uncaused uncaused by anything by anything else !!!else !!!Let me explain it in black and white……

At the beginning - a first cause,uncaused by anything else. That first cause That first cause

was the creator was the creator God.God.

Everything has a cause.Everything has a cause. The Universe exists so it must have a cause.The Universe exists so it must have a cause. You cannot have infinite number of causes.You cannot have infinite number of causes. Therefore there must be an uncaused cause, Therefore there must be an uncaused cause,

which causes everything to happen without which causes everything to happen without itself being caused by anything else.itself being caused by anything else.

Such an uncaused cause is what people Such an uncaused cause is what people understand by ‘God’.understand by ‘God’.

The Cosmological Argument

The Uncaused cause in simple The Uncaused cause in simple talk means…talk means…

Everything has a cause… even a Everything has a cause… even a cause has a cause. cause has a cause.

BUTBUT

Something had to make the first Something had to make the first cause happen. That something is cause happen. That something is what we know as ‘God’.what we know as ‘God’.

The strength of the argumentIs that it is based on the scientific principle that everything has a cause.The second strength of the argument is that it starts off by saying, “the universe exists.” That can’t be denied, we are part of it.

The argument has two weaknesses

Firstly, you may have proved a “first cause” but that doesn’tmean it still exists or that it was God.It may have died or disappeared.

The second weakness is this.

You start off by saying“everything has a cause,”

It doesn’t make sense, and it’snot logical to then say“something has no cause.”

So, what is So, what is the main points of the the main points of the

Cosmological Argument?Cosmological Argument?

Cosmological ArgumentCosmological Argument

Key Points…Key Points…• SomethingSomething must have set the world in motion. must have set the world in motion.

• Something Something makes the sun and moon rise makes the sun and moon rise everyday.everyday.

• SomethingSomething has created the universe and has created the universe and billions of galaxies.billions of galaxies.

• That SOMETHING= God. That SOMETHING= God.

What makes the first What makes the first domino fall?domino fall?

The Domino AnalogyThe Domino Analogy

Analogy?Analogy? When you suggest something is like When you suggest something is like

something. For example, a street light is like a something. For example, a street light is like a star. Both provide light at night time.star. Both provide light at night time.

Key pointsKey points• The first domino will NOT fall on its own.The first domino will NOT fall on its own.• SOMETHING has to start the chain reaction.SOMETHING has to start the chain reaction.• What is that something?What is that something?