The Cosmological Argument

St Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) The Cosmological Argument was first proposed by St Thomas Aquinas, a great Christian thinker One his ‘Five Proofs’ for the existence of God

The Argument The Universe exists; this demands an explanation Everything that exists has a cause Therefore, the Universe must also have a cause We cannot imagine that there is an infinite regression of causes; there must be a First, Uncaused Cause This Uncaused Cause is God

In Support of the Cosmological Argument It provides an explanation for the existence of the Universe It is consistent with the Big Bang theory, as it provides a cause for the Big Bang It answers the question, ‘Why is there something, rather than nothing?’

In Opposition to the Cosmological Argument David Hume (1711 – 1776) and Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970) both put forward arguments in opposition to the Cosmological Argument: Although everything in the Universe requires a cause, we should not assume that the Universe itself requires a cause Even if the Universe has a cause, why should this cause be God? The Big Bang provides an adequate explanation If we posit God as the Uncaused Cause, we move the problem one stage back, because we then have to explain God’s existence