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Cosmological Argument

Cosmological Argument. Objectives: To be able to explain the Cosmological Argument To identify who supported this argument and explain why To identify who challenged this argument and explain why To apply my knowledge to a practice exam question. Why is it called ‘Cosmological’?.

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Cosmological Argument

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  1. Cosmological Argument Objectives: To be able to explain the Cosmological Argument To identify who supported this argument and explain why To identify who challenged this argument and explain why To apply my knowledge to a practice exam question

  2. Why is it called ‘Cosmological’? • The word ‘cosmos’ comes a Greek word meaning ‘orderly arrangement’. • It is the antithesis of ‘chaos’ – disorder • Pythagoras is believed to be the first person to apply this term to the universe – probably in reference to the fixed positions of the stars.

  3. What is this argument trying to do? To infer the existence of God from the existence of the cosmos or the things contained within it. Question: Take this Power Point. Based on its existence can you infer the existence of anything else?

  4. What is this argument trying to do? • The argument claims that the universe cannot account for its own existence - it must have been caused by something external to itself. • For a Christian this would be God. • Because the starting point is something that exists (the cosmos) this argument is a posteriori. • This argument leads to probabilities rather than proof.

  5. Key ideas • Necessary being • Contingent being

  6. Plato(approx. 424-347B.C.E.) The greatest form of movement is when an object has the power not only to move other things, but also itself as well. On this basis Plato noted that matter alone cannot achieve this, but must be moved by some spirit (or soul).  Therefore, the soul must be the oldest form of motion for matter, as only this has the power to move both itself and other objects, e.g. • think of what happens to a body when something dies: Without some 'life-force' (soul, spirit or whatever), the physical body does not move. However, with a 'life-force' (soul, spirit etc.) it does. This suggests that this 'force' is greater than the body, which although it can move other things, appears incapable of moving itself.

  7. Aristotle(384-322 B.C.E.)

  8. Thomas Aquinas(1225-1274) • Background, e.g. • Dominican Friar • Believed all human understanding based on God’s revelations

  9. Thomas AquinasFive Ways The First Way – the Unmoved Mover:

  10. Thomas AquinasFive Ways The Second Way – the Uncaused Causer:

  11. Thomas AquinasFive Ways The Third Way – Possibility and necessity:

  12. Aristotle and Aquinas:How do they relate to each other? • (Look at similarities and differences?)

  13. Frederick Copleston(1907-1994) • Background

  14. Frederick Copleston(1907-1994) His argument:

  15. Frederick Copleston(1907-1994)

  16. Frederick Copleston(1907-1994)

  17. Aquinas and Copleston:A model summary of their arguments • i.e. write a paragraph on each

  18. David Hume(1711-1776) • Background

  19. David Hume(1711-1776) Rejection 1: moving from individual causes to a cause for totality:

  20. David Hume(1711-1776) Rejection 2: a beginning to the universe

  21. David Hume(1711-1776) Rejection 3: the Christian God as the necessary being:

  22. Bertrand Russell(1872-1970) Background

  23. Bertrand Russell(1872-1970) Rejection 1: principle of sufficient reason:

  24. Bertrand Russell(1872-1970) Rejection 2: moving from individual causes to a cause for totality

  25. Bertrand Russell(1872-1970) Rejection 3: the notion of a necessary being

  26. Hume and Russell:A model summary of their arguments

  27. Copleston and Russell:The Radio Debate • Background • Key points

  28. Practice Question: Explain Hume’s criticisms of the cosmological argument. (25 marks) Use the model on page 62 (Cole and Gray textbook) to write the key point that would be included in this answer.

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