The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God

The Cosmological Argument attempts to prove that God exists by showing

that there cannot be an infinite number of regressions of causes to

things that exist. It states that there must be a final uncaused-cause

of all things. This uncaused-cause is asserted to be God.

Arguments like this are thought up to recognize why we and the

universe exist.

The Cosmological Argument takes several forms but is basically

represented below.

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.

Something cannot bring itself into existence because it would have had

to exist to do that.

There cannot be an infinite number of causes to bring something into

existence, because an infinite regression of causes has no original

cause, which means there is no cause of existence.

Since the universe exists, it must have a cause, therefore there must

be an uncaused cause of all things.

This uncaused cause must be God.

Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) had a version of the Cosmological Argument

called the Argument from Motion. He stated that things in motion could

not have brought themselves into motion but must be caused to move.

There cannot be an infinite regression of movers. Therefore, there

must be an Unmoved Mover. This Unmoved Mover is God.

Strengths of the argument

The strengths of the Cosmological Argument consist of the simplicity

and easily understandable concept that there cannot be an infinite

number of causes to an event. Some arguments for God's existence

require more thought and education in terms and concep...

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...existence of things that are necessary does not require

explanation; their non-existence is impossible. The existence of

anything contingent, however, does require explanation. They might not

have existed, and so there must be some reason that they do exist.

The only adequate explanation of the existence of the contingent

universe, the argument from contingency suggests, is that there exists

a necessary being on which its existence it rests. For the existence

of the contingent universe must rest on something, and if it rested on

some contingent being then that contingent being too would require

some explanation of its existence. The ultimate explanation of the

existence of all things, therefore, must be the existence of some

necessary being. Followers of the cosmological argument identify God

as this necessary being.