Another criticism comes from Thomist philosopher Dr. Edward Feser who claims that past and future events are potential rather than actual, meaning that an infinite past could exist in a similar way to how an infinite number of potential halfway points exist between any two given points (as was discussed in one of Zeno's paradoxes). There are many slightly different formulations of the argument – we will consider two of them, and the various objections to the premises of these arguments. Faith and Philosophy, 17:149. The Kalam cosmological argument is a modern formulation of the cosmological argument for the existence of God.It is named after the kalam (medieval Islamic scholasticism) from which its key ideas originated.It was popularized in the western world by William Lane Craig in his book, The Kalām Cosmological Argument (1979).. [3], The most prominent form of the argument, as defended by William Lane Craig, states the Kalam cosmological argument as the following brief syllogism:[4], Given the conclusion, Craig appends a further premise and conclusion based upon a conceptual analysis of the properties of the cause of the universe:[5], Referring to the implications of Classical Theism that follow from this argument, Craig writes:[6]. I discovered a YouTuber called Rationality Rules very recently. What is the Kalām cosmological argument (KCA)? [26] This argument has been criticised by Bruce Reichenbach and G.E.M. Vilenkin, A. Cannot be the case if his argument is successful. The Cosmological Argument takes several forms but is basically represented below. On the topic of virtual particles, he writes: Cosmologist Alexander Vilenkin has stated that even "the absence of space, time and matter" cannot truly be defined as 'nothing' given that the laws of physics are still present, though it would be "as close to nothing as you can get".[39]. ... existence of the actual infinite, but instead points out that an actual infinite is not attained by adding new members to a potential infinite: 1. Conclusion: Therefore, the universe has a cause. It is named after the kalam (medieval Islamic scholasticism) from which its key ideas originated. I discovered a YouTuber called Rationality Rules very recently. The Kalam Cosmological Argument can be traced to Kalam tradition Muslim theologians. [23][24][25] Oppy states: Mackie affirms that there is no good reason to assume a priori that an uncaused beginning of all things is impossible. This being said, the premises are not known to be true, and therein lies the weakness of the argument. The first argument we discussed was Alvin Plantinga's modal ontological argument for God. The Kalam cosmological argument is based on the concept of the prime-mover, introduced by Aristotle, and entered early Christian or Neoplatonist philosophy in Late Antiquity, being developed by John Philoponus. Michael Martin disagrees with these assertions by Craig, saying: Andrew Loke has argued against the metaphysical possibility of a beginningless universe as well as that of an actual infinite existing in the real world.[50]. J. T. Grieg (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1932), 1, 187. "[46], On the impossibility of actual infinities, Craig asserts:[47]. [27][28] Craig notes: Morriston asserts that causal laws are physical processes for which we have intuitive knowledge in the context of events within time and space, but that such intuitions do not hold true for the beginning of time itself. [15] Al-Ghazali was unconvinced by the first-cause arguments of Al-Kindi, arguing that only the infinite per se is impossible, arguing for the possibility of the infinite per accidens. The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God 1012 Words | 5 Pages. What do supporters of the Kalam argument argue? Scientific evidence that the universe began to exist a finite time ago at the Big Bang. The critics of the argument point out that if the believers in a deity can make an exception to the rule that everything needs a cause for the deity then an exception can be made for the universe itself. One argument which draws the conclusion of God being the creator is “The Kalam argument” which was an argument put forward by al – Ghazali (1058 – 1111) who was an Islamic scholar. One of my favorite arguments for God’s existence is called the Kalam Cosmological Argument (KCA). Craig concludes that the cause of the existence of the universe is an "uncaused, personal Creator ... who sans the universe is beginningless, changeless, immaterial, timeless, spaceless and enormously powerful"; remarking upon the theological implications of this union of properties. The Kalam Cosmological Argument Notes Premise 1: Whatever begins to exist has a cause Premise 2: The universe began to exist Conclusion: Therefore, the universe has a cause Here are a few reminders before we get into the Kalam Cosmological Argument: 1. This article has not yet received a rating on the project's quality scale. Philosophical foundations for a Christian worldview. The venerable Cosmological Argument has many variations, and the Kalam version is the most popular. Craig defends premise two using both physical arguments with evidence from cosmology and physics, and metaphysical arguments for the impossibility of actual infinities in reality. The kalam cosmological argument (KCA) A material cause is the stuff something is made out of, and an efficient cause is that which produces an effect. To be successful each of . THE KALAM COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT As a boy I wondered at the existence of the universe. Prometheus Books, 2012. therefore, the Universe had a cause. Answer: This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the claim. A. Çubukçu and H. Atay (Ankara: University of Ankara Press, 1962), pp. The Kalam cosmological argument (KCA) is an deductive argument, meaning that if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true. The word “kalam” is an Arabic word that denotes medieval Islamic theology.Muslim theologians, when Islam swept over Egypt in North Africa, absorbed the Christian thought that had been in those areas, like in Alexandria, which was … So I think that the first premise of the kalam cosmological argument is surely true. Neither Grünbaum nor Oppy succeeds in showing an incoherence in the Christian doctrine of creation. Craig William Lane, Reasonable Faith Christian Truth and Apologetics Third Edition 118-120, Craig William Lane, Reasonable Faith, Christian Truth and Apologetics, Third Edition, pp.120-124, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, A Universe from Nothing: Why There is Something Rather Than Nothing, ‘neo‐Lorentzian interpretation’ of Special Relativity, Professor Mackie and the Kalam Cosmological Argument, Must the Beginning of the Universe Have a Personal Cause? If successful, the Kalam Cosmological Argument rules out: As a response to the evidential problem of evil, if one argues "here is God's reason for permitting evil," they are providing: Skeptical Theism is the view that one is skeptical of God's goodness as a reply to the evidential problem of evil. Premise 1 seems to me to be more likely to be true than its negation. One of my patrons brought this video to my attention and requested that I respond to it, so here we go. It was refined in the 11th century by Al-Ghazali (The Incoherence of the Philosophers), and in the 12th by Ibn Rushd (Averroes). In my studied judgment, the one with the most plausible and perspicuously true premises is the Kalam argument. [52], In the subsequent Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology, published in 2009, Craig discusses the properties of the cause of the universe, arguing that they follow as consequences of a conceptual analysis and of the cause of the universe and by entailment from the initial syllogism of the argument:[53]. For the uninitiated, The Kalam Cosmological Argument is formulated as follows: 1: Whatever … II. For this, he cites the example of a parent "creating" a child who eventually becomes greater than he or she. The more controversial premise in the argument is premise 2, that the universe began to exist. Islamic perspectives may be divided into positive Aristotelian responses strongly supporting the argument, such as those by Al-Kindi, and Averroes, and negative responses critical of it, including those by Al-Ghazali and Muhammad Iqbal. Smith, Q (1988), "The Uncaused Beginning of the Universe," Philosophy of Science 55:39-57. In order to infer from this that the universe has a cause of its existence the proponent of the kalam cosmological argument must prove that the past is finite, that the universe began to … ", Premise two: "The universe began to exist.". Philo 5 (1):34-61. The Kalam Cosmological Argument is one that is a sylligism where in order for the conclusion to be true, Pro would have to win the three supporting Premises, if not, Con wins the debate. Quiz 7 Question 1 3 out of 3 points If successful, as a result of the Cosmological Argument, we learn there is a Selected Answer: Transcendent Cause Question 2 3 out of 3 points According to the Kalam Cosmological Argument: Selected Answer: All of the above Question 3 3 out of 3 points Humans by nature worship that which is considered ultimate. Anscombe, '"Whatever has a beginning of existence must have a cause": Hume's argument exposed', Analysis XXXIV (1974), 150. (2007) Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes, p.175, Aguirre A and Gratton S (2002). [35] In his book A Universe from Nothing: Why There is Something Rather Than Nothing, cosmologist Lawrence Krauss has proposed how quantum mechanics can explain how space-time and matter can emerge from 'nothing' (referring to the quantum vacuum). Hence the KCA is actually a series of connected arguments. Graham Oppy, J. L. Mackie and Wes Morriston have objected to the intuitiveness of the first premise. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. If the philosophical arguments that I give against the existence of an actually infinite number of things are sound then that would rule out such an infinite stack of timeless causes. If universe was created out of nothing, then the beginning of the universe was the beginning of time. D 65, 083507. Quantum mechanics does not in fact posit something coming from nothing, but rather things coming from the quantum vacuum–which is not “nothing.” Find answers and explanations to over 1.2 million textbook exercises. The second premise follows also from A Theory along with the nature of infinity being endless. Arguing About The Kalam Cosmological Argument. "The Caused Beginning of the Universe: a Response to Quentin Smith." -rules of nature didn't exist before the beginning of the universe, the universe cannot be the result of natural causes-argument depends on the belief that God created the universe ex nihilo. The argument's key underpinning idea is the metaphysical … Francis J. Kovach, 'The Question of the Eternity of the World in St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas – A Critical Analysis', Southwestern Journal of Philosophy 5 (1974), pp. While I can't entirely rule out the possibility that someone will come up with an alternative I haven't covered, I will make arguments that cover the main alternatives, and a good number of other Therefore, it follows that the universe cannot be infinitely old and began to exist. Might not the universe stretch back in time into infinity, always having existed? It was popularized in the western world by William Lane Craig in his book, The Kalām Cosmological Argument (1979). [55] Philosopher Yuri Balashov has criticised Craig's attempt to reconcile the A-theory with special relativity by relying on a ‘neo‐Lorentzian interpretation’ of Special Relativity. Premise 2. The kalam cosmological argument has grown in popularity today, mostly through the work of Dr. William Lane Craig, an Evangelical Protestant philosopher who dedicated his doctoral work to the argument in 1979. See Craig, The Kalam Cosmological Argument, p. 83, where he expresses his disbelief "that the number of [infinitely many] red books in the library is the same as the number of red books plus the number of [infinitely many] black books," and p. 84, where he denies the possibility of the number of an infinite set of real entities remaining the same after the removal of a proper subset. [33] Craig replies that the phenomenon of indeterminism is specific to the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, pointing out that this is only one of a number of different interpretations, some of which he states are fully deterministic (mentioning David Bohm) and none of which are as yet known to be true. Selected Answer: Tru e Question 10 3 out of 3 points According to sociologists, we now live in: Selected Answer: A Postsecular age Question 11 3 out of 3 points If successful, the Kalam Cosmological Argument rules out: Selected Answer: B and C Professor Alexander Vilenkin, one of the three authors of the Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem, writes: Victor J. Stenger has referred to the Aguirre-Gratton model[43] for eternal inflation as an exemplar by which others disagree with the Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem. The foremost proponent and creator of the KCA is William Lane Craig. Premise 2: The universe began to exist. A. Borde, A. Guth and A. Vilenkin (2003). kalāmcosmological argument adds to premises (1) and (2). Therefore, the universe cannot be infinitely old. 141–172. "[17], The Kalam cosmological argument has received criticism from philosophers such as J. L. Mackie, Graham Oppy, Michael Martin, Quentin Smith, physicists Paul Davies, Lawrence Krauss and Victor Stenger, and authors such as Dan Barker.[18]. G.E.M. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity P. 469. The latter would allow the universe to exist tenselessly as a four-dimensional space-time block, under which circumstances the universe would not "begin to exist":[54] The form of the Kalam he presents rests on this theory: Craig has defended the A-theory against objections from J. M. E. McTaggart and hybrid A–B theorists. Let’s see if it holds up. According to the Kalam Cosmological Argument: According to sociologists, we now live in: The Cosmological Arguments are argument for God that begin by considering which. Moreland, James Porter, and William Lane. [58], It has recently been argued that a defense of the Kalam cosmological argument does not have to involve such a commitment to the A-theory. It doesn’t even suggest, let alone prove that this cause was a being, and it certainly doesn’t suggest that that cause was a being that is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, personal and moral. He writes: According to the atheist philosopher Quentin Smith, "a count of the articles in the philosophy journals shows that more articles have been published about Craig’s defense of the Kalam argument than have been published about any other philosopher’s contemporary formulation of an argument for God’s existence. He concludes that subatomic physics is not a proven exception to the first premise.[34]. Selected Answer: The universe Correct Answer: The universe Question 9 3 out of 3 points If successful, the Kalam Cosmological Argument rules out: Selected Answer: B and C Correct Answer: B and C Question 10 3 out of 3 points Alvin Plantinga has developed a modalized version of the ontological argument that he thinks is at least as good as any argument in philosophy. He appeals to David Hume's thesis (An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding) that effects without causes can be conceived in the mind, and that what is conceivable in the mind is possible in the real world. Lahore: Pakistan Philosophical Congress, 1963 pp. An alternative way to argue against the past eternity of the universe is through the impossibility of traversing (counting/crossing/completing) infinity. See also: al Ghazali, Kitab al lqtisad, with a foreword by Î. This feature distinguishes it from other cosmological arguments, such as that of Thomas Aquinas, which rests on the impossibility of a causally ordered infinite regress, and those of Leibniz and Samuel Clarke, which refer to the Principle of Sufficient Reason. [7] Along with much of classical Greek philosophy, the concept was adopted into medieval Islamic tradition, where it received its fullest articulation at the hands of Muslim scholars, most directly by Islamic theologians of the Sunni tradition. Rationality Rules (RR) says “Even if the Cosmological Argument were accepted in its entirely, all it would prove is that there was a cause of the universe, and that’s it. Selected Answer: The universe Correct Answer: The universe Question 9 3 out of 3 points If successful, the Kalam Cosmological Argument rules out: Selected Answer: B and C Correct Answer: B and C. View full document. But the original doctoral thesis was an examination of all of the various versions of the cosmological argument. The argument's key underpinning idea is the metaphysical … The Cosmological argument begins with the fact that the universe exists, and seeks to show that the best explanation of this fact is that it was created by God. A cosmological argument is an argument for the existence of a unique being, oftentimes referred to as God; this particular, modern cosmological argument is anchored in the Ilm al-Kalam heritage. I prefer other arguments such as the contingency argument because it is based purely on logic and reasoning where as cosmological arguments … : This article has not yet received a rating on the project's importance scale. Cosmological Argument Things exist It is possible for those things not to exist Whatever has the possibility of non-existence, yet exists, has been caused to exist. If successful, as a result of the teleological argument we learn that there is a: David Hume thought the teleological argument was successful in showing that the. [2] According to Michael Martin, the cosmological arguments presented by Craig, Bruce Reichenbach, and Richard Swinburne are "among the most sophisticated and well argued in contemporary theological philosophy". In a review of Krauss's book, he states: Likewise, Craig has argued that the quantum vacuum, in containing quantifiable, measurable energy, cannot be described as 'nothing', therefore, that phenomena originating from the quantum vacuum cannot be described as 'uncaused'. (by Heath McCasland) 1. which you can watch here. 15–16. -rules of nature didn't exist before the beginning of the universe, the universe cannot be the result of natural causes. ??? Morriston W (2002). John Taylor complains that the kalamcosmological argument gives the appearance of being a swift and simple demonstration of the existence of a Creator of the universe, whereas in fact a convincing argument involving the premiss that the universe began to existis very difficult to achieve. The syllogism goes as follows: 1- Whatever begins to exist has a cause. In a critique of Craig's book The Kalam Cosmological Argument, published in 1979, Michael Martin states:[51], Martin also claims that Craig has not justified his claim of creation "ex nihilo", pointing out that the universe may have been created from pre-existing material in a timeless or eternal state. Impossible that the universe has an infinite past. Craig’s Kalam Cosmological argument can be stated formally as follows: Premise 1: Whatever beings to exist has a cause. the Universe began to exist. Its historic proponents include Al-Kindi,[8] Al-Ghazali,[9] and St. One of his many videos is The Kalam Cosmological Argument Debunked - (First Cause Argument Refuted). "Inflationary space-times are incomplete in past directions". There is an attack vector. The mathematical impossibility of forming an actual infinite by successive addition. [14] It reached medieval Christian philosophy in the 13th century and was discussed by Bonaventure, as well as Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica (I, q.2, a.3) and Summa Contra Gentiles (I, 13). A first state of the material world cannot have a material explanation and must originate, Even if positing a plurality of causes prior to the origin of the universe, the causal chain must terminate in a cause which is absolutely first and, This page was last edited on 14 January 2021, at 10:54. Selected Answer: Tru e Question 4 3 out of 3 points According to the Kalam Cosmological Argument: Selected Answer: All of the above Question 5 0 out of 3 points If successful, the Kalam Cosmological Argument rules out: Selected Naturalis Morriston W (2000). 1st premise of the argument is the claim that everything begins to exist has a cause of its existence. Anscombe, who point out the phenomenological and logical problems in inferring factual possibility from conceivability. [1], Since Craig's original publication, the Kalam cosmological argument has elicited public debate between Craig and Graham Oppy, Adolf Grünbaum, J. L. Mackie and Quentin Smith, and has been used in Christian apologetics. This argument is a modified form of the kalam argument. The Kalam Cosmological Argument is one of the variants of the cosmological argument and had been used to defend the philosophical position of theistic worldviews (AllAboutPhilosophy.org,2018). Rationality Rules (RR) says “Even if the Cosmological Argument were accepted in its entirely, all it would prove is that there was a cause of the universe, and that’s it. If the universe is not eternal, then it could fail to exist and so does not exist by a necessity of its own nature. 90–91, Quentin Smith, "Kalam Cosmological Arguments for Atheism", in Michael Martin (ed. If the past were infinitely long, an infinite amount of time would have had to pass before today. This counter-argument to the Kalam cosmological argument does not hold up. Aristotle rules out an infinite progression of causes, ... Debunking the Kalam Cosmological Argument. Scientific confirmation against a past-infinite universe in the form of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. One of my patrons brought this video to my attention and requested that I respond to it, so here we go. God and the Folly of Faith: The Incompatibility of Science and Religion. The Main Argument. Bonaventure.[10][11][12]. One of his many videos is The Kalam Cosmological Argument Debunked - (First Cause Argument Refuted). Crucial premise of kalam cosmological argument, is the 2nd 'The universe has a beginning of its existence'. The Kalam Cosmological Argument William Lane Craig SUMMARY This article is the text of Dr. Craig's 2015 lecture at the University of Birmingham, where he did his doctoral studies which led to the revival of the kalam cosmological argument in our day. Not only are its premises hard to deny, its conclusion seems as sound as almost any other that could be drawn from speculative and observational … : A Rejoinder, The Existence of God and the Beginning of the Universe, Why Physicists Can't Avoid A Creation Event, "Presentism, Ontology and Temporal Experience", "Dr. Craig Answers Questions on the Kalam, Heaven, Free Will, B-Theory, and MORE! Must the Beginning of the Universe Have a Personal Cause? Physical Review Letters 90 (15): 151301. [44] In private correspondence with Stenger, Vilenkin remarked how the Aguirre-Gratton model attempts to evade a beginning by reversing the "arrow of time" at t = 0, but that: "This makes the moment t = 0 rather special. Scientific evidence in support of premise 2 best arguments that one can as... That they exist. `` Mackie and Wes Morriston have objected to the Kalam Cosmological argument Debunked - ( cause! 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