The cosmological argument (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Notes

The cosmological argument

What is the cosmological argument?

The cosmological argument is one of the traditional philosophical approaches used to demonstrate God's existence. This argument relies on the fundamental principle of cause and effect to build a logical case for the existence of a divine creator.

The basic structure follows a clear logical progression. The argument begins with the observation that nothing in our experience happens by itself - everything that occurs must be caused by something else. Since the universe exists, it too cannot have happened by itself and must have had a powerful cause to bring it into existence. This cause, the argument concludes, must be God, and therefore God exists.

Overview of the argument's logical structure

The cosmological argument follows this step-by-step reasoning:

1. Nothing happens by itself - Everything that happens must be caused by something else
2. Everything that happens must be caused by something else - This creates chains of causation
3. The universe cannot have happened by itself - Like everything else, it needs a cause
4. A powerful cause was necessary to cause the universe - The magnitude of creation requires immense power
5. This cause has to be God - Only a divine being possesses such creative power
6. Therefore God exists - The logical conclusion of the argument

St Thomas Aquinas's contribution (1225-1274)

The Catholic priest and theologian Thomas Aquinas developed the most influential version of the cosmological argument. In his monumental work Summa Theologica, he presented what became known as his "Three Ways" - three distinct but related arguments for God's existence.

The argument from motion

Aquinas observed that everything in the universe that moves has been set in motion by something else. A ball doesn't roll unless someone kicks it; water doesn't flow unless gravity pulls it downhill. This creates what philosophers call a "chain of movers" - each thing that moves was moved by something before it.

However, Aquinas argued that this chain of movers cannot continue infinitely backwards. There must be a starting point - a first mover that began all motion without itself being moved by anything else. This unmoved mover, he concluded, must be God.

The argument from cause

Similar to his argument about motion, Aquinas noted that every effect we observe has a cause behind it. When we see smoke, we know there must be fire; when we see a broken window, we know something must have struck it. This creates chains of causation stretching back through time.

Just as with motion, Aquinas maintained that these chains of causes cannot be infinite. Logic demands that there must be a first cause - something that caused everything else to exist without itself being caused by anything. This first cause, he argued, is God.

The argument from contingency

Aquinas's third way focuses on the concept of contingency - the idea that everything we observe in the universe depends on something else for its existence. Trees depend on soil, water, and sunlight; humans depend on air, food, and countless other conditions. Everything that is contingent relies on something else to bring it into existence and keep it in existence.

Since all contingent things depend on something else, there must be a necessary being - something that doesn't rely on anything else for its existence and upon which everything else ultimately depends. This necessary being, existing independently and supporting all other existence, must be God.

Catholic interpretations and responses

Catholics embrace the cosmological argument as confirmation of God's existence and nature. The argument supports key Catholic beliefs about God's characteristics:

• Omnipotent - Only an all-powerful being could create and sustain the entire universe
• Benevolent - The creator's goodness is reflected in the order and beauty of creation
• Unknowable - God's nature transcends human understanding, though His existence can be demonstrated through reason

Catholic teaching maintains that God created the universe, as described in the Creation story in Genesis. Many Catholics argue that science and religion can work together harmoniously - scientific discoveries like the Big Bang theory can be understood as revealing how God created the universe, while faith explains why He did so.

Non-religious perspectives and criticisms

People who don't accept religious explanations raise several significant challenges to the cosmological argument:

The problem of proving divine causation: Critics argue that we cannot definitively 'prove' that God caused the world. Alternative scientific explanations, such as the Big Bang theory, provide natural accounts for the creation of the universe without requiring divine intervention.

The question of God's cause: If the argument insists that everything must have a cause, critics ask what caused God? If God can exist without a cause, why can't the universe exist without a cause? This challenges the consistency of the argument's reasoning.

Evaluating the argument

When examining the cosmological argument, students should consider both its strengths and weaknesses. The argument provides a logical framework that many find compelling, offering rational grounds for belief in God's existence. It addresses fundamental questions about why anything exists at all and provides answers that align with religious faith.

However, the argument also faces significant philosophical challenges. Critics question whether the argument successfully demonstrates the necessity of a divine creator, or whether it simply pushes the mystery of existence back one step. Modern scientific understanding provides alternative explanations for the universe's origin and development that don't require divine intervention.