The Cosmological ArgumentThe Cosmological Argument(Causation or ‘first cause’ (Causation or ‘first cause’
theory)theory)Learning Objectives:Learning Objectives:To explain the argument for To explain the argument for
causationcausationTo evaluate whether this argument To evaluate whether this argument
proves God exists. proves God exists.
Aquinas’ Cosmological Aquinas’ Cosmological ArgumentsArguments
If something unexpected happens we If something unexpected happens we always try to see what caused it. always try to see what caused it. Science teaches us that things do not Science teaches us that things do not happen by themselves. happen by themselves.
St Thomas Aquinas was a well St Thomas Aquinas was a well respected philosopher and a respected philosopher and a theologian (religious authority) He theologian (religious authority) He argued that the cause of everything argued that the cause of everything was God.was God.
Aquinas’s five waysAquinas’s five ways
Aquinas presented Aquinas presented FIVE WAYSFIVE WAYS which he believed showed that which he believed showed that God existed.God existed.
The Uncaused CauseThe Uncaused Cause Everything has a causeEverything has a cause That cause must be caused by something That cause must be caused by something
else.else. BUT you cannot have an infinite chain of BUT you cannot have an infinite chain of
causes it must all begin somewhere or causes it must all begin somewhere or there would be no reason for movement to there would be no reason for movement to get started at all.get started at all.
Therefore there must be something or Therefore there must be something or someone that does not need to be caused someone that does not need to be caused by something else.by something else.
The only thing powerful enough to not The only thing powerful enough to not need a cause would be God.need a cause would be God.
Therefore God must exist. Therefore God must exist.
The Uncaused Cause in simple The Uncaused Cause in simple talk means…talk means…
Everything/everyone is caused by Everything/everyone is caused by something. Nothing is caused on its own. something. Nothing is caused on its own.
BUTBUT
Something has to start ALL of this. That Something has to start ALL of this. That something is what people understand as something is what people understand as ‘God’.‘God’.
QuestionsQuestions
1.1. Who was St Thomas Aquinas?Who was St Thomas Aquinas?2.2. What question did Aquinas say we What question did Aquinas say we
should begin thinking about?should begin thinking about?3.3. What is another name for the causation What is another name for the causation
argument?argument?4.4. How would Aquinas explain the big bang How would Aquinas explain the big bang
theory?theory?5.5. Do you think this proves God exists? Do you think this proves God exists?
Explain your answer.Explain your answer.
Task 1Task 1
Everything must have a cause
Create a flow chart to explain the argument Create a flow chart to explain the argument of causation.of causation.
?
Task 2Task 2
1.1. Come up with your own analogy to Come up with your own analogy to explain the first cause argument, explain the first cause argument,
e.g., my pen was thrown, this was caused e.g., my pen was thrown, this was caused by ….by ….
Task 3Task 3What are some of the strengths of the What are some of the strengths of the
cosmological argument?cosmological argument?
In pairs write down what you think are the In pairs write down what you think are the strengths of this argument.strengths of this argument.
StrengthsStrengths To say that God is uncaused even though To say that God is uncaused even though
everything needs a cause is not a everything needs a cause is not a contradiction because God is a special case.contradiction because God is a special case.
Suggests meaning and purpose for human Suggests meaning and purpose for human life and suggests the existence of a creator life and suggests the existence of a creator who cares for uswho cares for us
Gives a simple and understandable account Gives a simple and understandable account of the origin of the universeof the origin of the universe
What are some of the difficulties of the What are some of the difficulties of the cosmological argument?cosmological argument?
beginning of the universe according to family guy
Beginning of the universe for rednecks
Task 4Task 4What are some of the weaknesses of the What are some of the weaknesses of the
cosmological argument?cosmological argument?
In pairs write down what you think are the In pairs write down what you think are the weaknesses of this argument.weaknesses of this argument.
WeaknessesWeaknesses
It goes against the idea of infinityIt goes against the idea of infinity
It is based on belief only with no scientific It is based on belief only with no scientific supportsupport
Uses biblical texts and philosophical Uses biblical texts and philosophical arguments which are all open to a variety arguments which are all open to a variety of interpretationsof interpretations
WeaknessesWeaknesses It is not logical to say that everything It is not logical to say that everything
needs a cause then to say God doesn’t- needs a cause then to say God doesn’t- ‘uncaused cause’ is an oxymoron!‘uncaused cause’ is an oxymoron!
Even if you argue successfully that all Even if you argue successfully that all causes require a cause, you can not prove causes require a cause, you can not prove that the first cause was a being called that the first cause was a being called God. Maybe there was a committee of God. Maybe there was a committee of gods.gods.
Maybe the first cause was the Christian God, Maybe the first cause was the Christian God, but Him being the 1but Him being the 1stst cause does not prove cause does not prove he’s still around. Maybe he’s not the loving he’s still around. Maybe he’s not the loving God Aquinas made out and decided to have God Aquinas made out and decided to have nothing to do with the world after he made it. nothing to do with the world after he made it. (maybe this is why suffering exists?)(maybe this is why suffering exists?)
Quantum physics disagrees with the First Quantum physics disagrees with the First Cause concept as it argues that things DO Cause concept as it argues that things DO spontaneously appear and disappear without spontaneously appear and disappear without any causeany cause
Richard Dawkins the argument the argument
shouldn’t assume that shouldn’t assume that God is an exception God is an exception to the ruleto the rule
David Hume why does the universe
need a beginning? If God can be self-caused why can’t this be true of the universe itself?
we are trying to prove things beyond our experience by using our own limited experience.
how can we know what happened at the beginning of the universe when none of us was there?
Bertrand Russell ‘the universe is just there and that’s all.
We should just accept that it exists.’
Stephen Hawking
even if there was a first cause, there is no evidence to prove it was a monotheistic God. It could have been anything.
