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5 Marker Practice Exam Questions & Answers: Cosmological Argument
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A collection of example exam questions and answers regarding the cosmological arguments for God's existence for AQA A-level philosophy.
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Cosmological Argument 5 Markers1. Explain the Kalam Argument from temporal causation
2. Outline Aquinas’ 1st way
3. Explain Aquinas’ cosmological argument from a first cause
4. Explain Descartes’ cosmological argument
5. Outline Aquinas’ cosmological argument from contingency
6. Explain Leibniz’s cosmological argument based on the principle of sufficient reason
7. Explain Hume’s objection to the causal principle
8. Describe the fallacy of composition and explain how Russell criticizes Aquinas’ 3rd way with
reference to it
9. Outline the criticism against all cosmological arguments from contingency that a necessary being
is impossible
10. How does the possibility of an infinite series apply as a criticism against the Kalam Argument?
1. All cosmological arguments essentially claim that the existence of the
universe must have had a beginning, and they conclude that the cause
must have been God. The Kalam Argument begins by pointing out that all
phenomena in the universe are temporal- they precede and follow other
phenomena. The main point of the argument is the claim that an infinite
regress of temporal phenomena would be impossible. To back up this
claim, there are a number of paradoxes of infinity that could be regarded,
for example, the infinite hotel thought experiment. Since an infinite regress
is impossible, there must have been a beginning of the universe and
something that caused it. Since such a cause would have to be timeless
and immaterial, it must have been God. The conclusion then, is that God
exists.
2. Aquinas’ first way is his temporal cosmological argument, arguing for
God’s existence as the cause of the universe. He regards a first ‘mover’
but what he means by motion is actually change. He is referring to a
change from that which is potential to that which is actual. He states that
every mover must have been moved by something and only actual motion
can convert a potential motion to be actual also. If no mover exists then
there cannot be any succeeding motion. In order for there to be a chain of
movers and motion, there must have been a first mover since such a
sequence could not be limitless. In other words there cannot be an infinite
series of motion. Also, nothing is capable of moving itself. So there must
be an unmoved first mover, namely God. Hence, God exists.
3. Aquinas’ argument from a first cause is his atemporal form of
cosmological argument. He refers to causes, which are meant to sustain
their effects such as gravity would sustain orbits. Since we perceive a
series of causes and effects, and nothing can actually cause itself to exist,
there must be a cause at the start of the series. Without any causes there
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