Deck 5: The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God

Question 1

A version of the First Cause argument was given by St. Thomas Aquinas.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

While some Catholic scholars have attempted to prove the existence of God, the official position of the Roman Catholic church is that such attempts are impious.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

An a priori argument is one that rests on premises that can be known independently of experience.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

An a posteriori argument is one that follows (or is posterior to) an act of faith.

Question 5

The cosmological argument is an example of an a posteriori argument.

Question 6

A contingent being is one which depends on something else for its existence.

Question 7

The text criticized the cosmological argument by denying the premise that every event has a cause.

Question 8

According to the text, the philosopher associated with the argument from contingency is Samuel Clark.

Question 9

The cosmological argument attempts to answer which one of the following questions?

A) What is the meaning of life?
B) Why is there a universe at all?
C) Is there life after death?
D) all of the above

Question 10

The cosmological argument is primarily concerned with the fact that the universe

A) is contingent.
B) manifests design.
C) contains moral beings who feel a sense of obligation.
D) contains intelligent life.

Question 11

Which of the following is a premise of the First Cause argument given in the text?

A) Nothing can be the cause of itself.
B) Every being is either contingent or necessary.
C) There must be a cause of the design manifested in the world.
D) all of the above

Question 12

A criticism of the First Cause argument given in your text is

A) it is possible the uncaused cause is matter itself.
B) there could be many uncaused causes.
C) it does not demonstrate that the First Cause is benevolent.
D) all of the above

Question 13

The argument from contingency differs from the First Cause argument because it introduces the notion of

A) a necessary being.
B) the evidence of design.
C) infinite time.
D) God's contingency.

Question 14

According to your text, the argument from contingency has which advantage over the First Cause argument?

A) it argues that the cause of the universe is benevolent.
B) it demonstrates that God must still exist to support everything else.
C) it is not an a posteriori argument.
D) it demonstrates that there is only one cause of the universe.

Question 15

According to your text, the argument from contingency can be accused of committing which fallacy?

A) the argument from ignorance
B) the false dilemma fallacy
C) the fallacy of composition
D) the slippery slope fallacy

Question 16

How do the First Cause argument and the argument from contingency differ? What advantages does the argument from contingency have?

Question 17

How would a defender of the cosmological argument reply to the question, "Who caused God?"

Question 18

Discuss some of the criticisms that could be made of the cosmological argument. How strong are these criticisms?

Question 19

If the cosmological argument were successful in establishing its conclusion, to what degree would it support the existence of the God of religious faith? To what degree does the First Cause fall short of the God of theism?