Strengths and weaknesses of the cosmological argument.

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Strengths and weaknesses of the cosmological argument

Advantages

  • A posteriori- based upon observation. We all have experience of cause and effect, and can understand the concept of the universe needing a cause.
  • Science supports a begining to the universe. The Big Bang Theory suggest the universe is not infinite
  • As we are constantly adding events to time, time can not be infinite as you cannot add to infinity (William Lane Craig)
  • God as necessary being provides sufficient reasons for the universe (Leibniz)
  • Simplest explanation of why there is something rather than nothing (Richard Swinburne)
  • Scientists who accept the Big Bang cannot explain what caused the big band.

Disadvantages

  • Hume
  • There is no reason or evidence based on observations that can establish whether the universe was caused .
  • The cosmological argument is a fallacy of composition because it assumes that just because each part of the universe is caused it does not mean that the universe as a whole was caused

Evaluation

Strengths don't outweigh the weaknesses

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