Cosmological Argument Flashcards Preview

H173/H573 Year 1 Philosophy > Cosmological Argument > Flashcards

Flashcards in Cosmological Argument Deck (25)
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1
Q

Name the scholars who support the cosmological argument

A

Aquinas, Copleston and Leibniz

2
Q

Name the scholars who criticise the cosmological argument

A

Hume, Russell, Kant, Mackie

3
Q

In which of his Five Ways does Aquinas outline the cosmological argument?

A

Ways One, Two and Three

4
Q

What is Aquinas’ first argument?

A

Way One - from motion (motus, change), the Unmoved Mover

5
Q

What is Aquinas’ second argument?

A

Way Two - from causation, the Uncaused Causer

6
Q

What is Aquinas’ third argument?

A

Way Three - from necessity and contingency

7
Q

What is Leibniz’ principle?

A

The principle of sufficient reason

8
Q

What does Leibniz’ principle mean?

A

A full and complete explanation or reason

9
Q

In Aquinas’ first way, whose theory is he using?

A

Aristotle’s ideas of motus, actuality and potentiality

10
Q

What assumption underlies Aquinas’ second way?

A

That all effects have a cause

11
Q

What does Aquinas suggest cannot happen, in his first two arguments?

A

Infinite regress

12
Q

What does infinite regress mean?

A

A chain of events going backwards forever

13
Q

In Aquinas’ third way, what does he suggest there must have been at one time, if all beings are contingent?

A

At one point, there must have been nothing

14
Q

What is the underlying assumption in Aquinas’ way three?

A

That nothing comes from nothing

15
Q

What is Copleston’s main argument?

A

There must be a sufficient REASON to explain the universe

16
Q

What is Copleston’s understanding of the term “necessary”?

A

Holds the reason for its existence within itself

17
Q

Which argument do Russell and Hume use the cosmological argument?

A

The Fallacy of Composition

18
Q

What is the Fallacy of Composition?

A

What is observed about the parts cannot be assumed to be the same for the whole.

19
Q

What is Russell’s example of the Fallacy of Composition?

A

Just because I have a mother, does not mean that the universe has a mother

20
Q

What is Russell’s quote about the existence of the universe?

A

It is just there, and that is all

21
Q

What does Russell argue against?

A

Asking questions about why the universe exists

22
Q

What is Hume’s most important criticism of the cosmological argument?

A

The assumption that every effect must have a cause, based on empirical experience and observation

23
Q

List Hume’s five criticisms of the cosmological argument

A

Cause/effect; fallacy of composition; universe could be its own cause; infinite regress; God of classical theism

24
Q

How does Kant criticise the cosmological argument?

A

Because we can only experience the phenomenal world

25
Q

Give two strengths of the cosmological argument

A

It argues from empirical evidence; it seeks to answer the question WHY is there something rather than nothing.