Crash Course Philosophy: Aquinas' Cosmological Arguments

Introduction

• Presented by Squarespace.
• Discussion on proving God's existence, inspired by Anselm of Canterbury's ontological argument.
• Aquinas, a medieval philosopher, constructed five arguments to prove God's existence, focusing on evidence-based beliefs.
• The first four arguments are cosmological, concerning the universe's necessary facts.

Aquinas' Cosmological Arguments

1. Argument from Motion

• Observation: The world is in motion.
• Premise: Motion is caused by movers.
• Conclusion: An unmoved mover, God, initiated motion to avoid infinite regress.
  • Infinite regress: A logical impossibility where events or causes trace back endlessly without a beginning.

2. Argument from Causation

• Similar to Argument from Motion but focuses on causes and effects.
• Premise: Everything caused must have a cause.
• Conclusion: A first uncaused causer, God, started the chain of causation.

3. Argument from Contingency

• Concepts: Necessary vs. contingent beings.
  • Contingent: Exist depending on other things (e.g., humans).
  • Necessary: Always existed, cannot not exist.
• Conclusion: A necessary being, God, must exist to prevent infinite regress of contingency.

4. Argument from Degrees

• Concept: Value and properties are measured against perfection.
• Conclusion: A perfect being, God, is the measure of all degrees of perfection.

Critical Evaluation

• General Criticism: Arguments don't establish any specific God.
  • Could support polytheism or non-sentient gods (e.g., a stone, turtle).
• Infinite Regress Objection: Argument against the impossibility of infinite regress.
  • If infinite regress is possible, some arguments fall apart.
• Self-Defeating Nature: If everything requires a cause, why is God exempt?
  • Could imply other things exist without God.

Philosophical Reflection

• Accepting conclusions but rejecting arguments is valid.
• Counterarguments required for disagreement.
• Philosophy is about engaging with and improving or refuting arguments.
• Importance of the existence of God in philosophical and theist discussions.

Conclusion

• Next episode will cover Aquinas’ fifth argument, the teleological argument.
• Episode sponsor and production credits.

This lecture overviewed Thomas Aquinas' cosmological arguments for the existence of God, inviting critical analysis and philosophical engagement.