Download The Cosmological (First Cause) Argument

Higher
RMPS
-Origins of the Universe-
The Cosmological (First
cause) Argument
Learning Intention:
•
To demonstrate an understanding of a complex
argument .
Learning context:
•
The ‘First cause/Cosmological argument’ and the origin
of the universe.
Success criteria:
•
•
I can demonstrate an understanding of the religious and
non-religious arguments about a ‘First cause’.
Through reflection and discussion, I will have begun to
make my own judgement of origin of the universe.
The Cosmological Argument
Thomas Aquinas
• Roman Catholic theologian
and philosopher.
•Lived in the 13th century.
• He identified 5 ‘proofs’
for the existence of God.
The Cosmological Argument:
“There must have been a time when no
physical things existed. But, since
physical things exist now, there must
have been something non-physical to
bring them into existence, and that
something we call God”.
The unmoved mover:
“Nothing moves without a prior mover. This
leads us to a regress, from which the only
escape is God. Something had to make the first
move, and that something we call God.”
The Uncaused Cause:
“Nothing is caused by itself.
Every effect has a prior
cause, and again we are
pushed back into regress. This
has to be terminated by a
first cause, and this we call
God.”
The Cosmological
(First Cause)
Argument
OBJECTIONS
Ethologist, evolutionary
biologist and author.
Describes the main objections
he raised to the cosmological
argument in…
1. What caused God?
You cannot assume
that God requires no
cause.
2. Even if God was the
First Uncaused Cause,
this does not mean he
is all-powerful, allknowing, good, loving,
listens to prayers,
forgives sins etc.
 Christopher
Hitchens – Author,
journalist and
antitheist
http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=AXIlA
Qoe5gw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9NlRKJBKt4
1.
The burden of proof –
atheists do not claim to
know what was there,
believers in God do…
therefore they need to
prove it, so where is the
proof?!
2. Why make an assumption
of a being (i.e. God)?
3. Why is there so much
nothing from something?
Is this really a good
design?
A-B-C
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Put these statements in the order that
will describe the Cosmological argument.
There must have been first cause,
uncaused by everything else.
Therefore, God must exist.
There is a long process of cause and
effect.
Only God is powerful enough to be this.
All things require a cause.
This cannot have gone on forever
A-B-C
Put these statements in the order that will
describe the Cosmological argument.
E. All things require a cause.
C. There is a long process of cause and effect.
F. This cannot have gone on forever
A. There must have been first cause, uncaused by
everything else.
D. Only God is powerful enough to be this.
B. Therefore, God must exist.
In your jotters...
Summarise the main
objections to the
Cosmological (First Cause)
Argument made by
Dawkins, and Hitchens.
To what extent
are these
objections
effective?
Learning Intention:
•
To demonstrate an understanding of a complex
argument .
Learning context:
•
The ‘First cause/Cosmological argument’ and the origin
of the universe.
Success criteria:
•
•
I can demonstrate an understanding of the religious and
non-religious arguments about a ‘First cause’.
Through reflection and discussion, I will have begun to
make my own judgement of the origin of the universe.