The Cosmological Argument

Cosmos= Universe

Based on the claim that everything exsisting in the universe exsists becasue it was caused by something else. However it is necssary for something to have started this all off, something that wasnt caused/created/ 

Its an 'a posteori' argument - based on looking at evidence in the world around us.

It's an inductive argument so it aims to persuade not to prove. 

The initial cause has to be...

• Non Physical (spiritual)
• Non time-bound (eternal)
• Not caused (necessary)

Aquinas wrote the 'Summa Theologica' which contains 5 arguments for the exsistance of God:

1) Motion

2) Cause 

3) Contingency - 'Exsistance depends on something else'

The First Way 

The first way is based on motion - motion as in from one place to another and the sense of change of quality or quantity. 

According to Aquinus an object can only be moved if a force is applied to it. There must have been a prime mover which its self is unmoved. Therefore the unmoved mover began the movement in everything without being moved. He believes this is God. 

Objects can only be changed when an external force is acted on it. For this potential to happen you need an external force to be applied. 

The need for an external force is when wood has the potential to be hot but without fire it cant reach its potential