AQA A Level Philosophy - Cosmological
Argument 2024
Exam Questions and Answers
What is infinite regress? (3) - Answer>> It is chain of cause and
effect that continues back and back forever (into infinity).
It has no beginning point.
Therefore, there is no need for a first cause.
1.) What is a contingent being (3) - Answer>> Contingent
existence= something that relies on something else to exist. Does
exist but may not have done.
What is a necessary being (3) - Answer>> Necessary existence
= something that does not rely on anything else to exist. It has to
exist.
What is the principle of sufficient reason (3) - Answer>> No fact
can ever be true or existent unless there is a sufficient reason
why things are as they are and not otherwise.
What are causal arguments? (3) - Answer>> 1) It can be
argued that a chain of cause and effect cannot go back in time
forever - a sequence or chain of causes must have a beginning.
2) This can be understood through an analogy involving a train
with carriages. The movement of a train cannot be explained by
the existence purely of carriages or by an infinite number of
carriages (infinite regress).
3) The movement of a train can only be explained by the
existence of an engine - something which is clearly different from
the carriages and able to create and sustain the movement of the
, whole train. There needs to be a first cause that is able to provide
an explanation for the whole universe.
What are contingency arguments (3) - Answer>> 1) The world
(and everything within it) is considered to have contingent
existence, whereas only God has necessary existence.
2) For the world to have contingent existence means it must have
been brought into existence at a certain point in time by
something else (interpreted to be God), unless it is to be
considered a brute fact.
3) (Brute fact = something that cannot be explained)
Outline Aquinas' first way (argument from motion) (5) -
Answer>> 1.) There are some things in motion or a state of
change, for example wood burning into fire.
2.) Nothing can move or change itself.
3.) Imagine if everything moved something else. There would be
an infinite regress of movers.
4.) Reductio ad absurdum: if 3 were true then there would be no
first mover and hence there would be no subsequent movers.
5.) But this is false
6.) Therefore, there must be an unmoved mover, which is the
source of all motion and change.
7.) This is whom we call God
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