WJEC Philosophy — Theme 1
Arguments for the Existence of God — Flashcard Set
Question Answer
What is inductive reasoning? When people make inferences and draw general conclusions
from particular examples
What did Aristotle call the 'unmoved mover' The Prime Mover
that began the chain of cause and effect?
What is the cosmological argument based The observation that the universe cannot account for its own
on? existence.
Which book contains a compact form of Summa Theologica
Aquinas' Five Ways
What is Aquinas' first way? The unmoved mover - to move from POTENTIALITY to
ACTUALITY there needs to be intervention from an external
force. This mover is necessary as the chain of movers cannot
regress back to infinity.
What is Aquinas' second way? The uncaused causer - cause comes before effect, if you take
away the cause then the effect doesn't occur.
What is Aquinas' third way? Contingency - beings dependent on something else for their
existence. Must be a capable necessary being.
What is a quote to show that God made the "In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth." "Let
universe Ex nihilo? there be light."
What was the issue with Aquinas' version? Circular logic
Who is a modern American philosopher that William Lane Craig
supports the logic of the Kalam argument?
What do they reject? Infinite regress.
What is Actual infinite? Something that is actually infinite in extent
What is potential infinite? Something that could continue on
Summary of Kalam's adaptation. Infinity cannot exist in actuality. So the universe must have had
a beginning. The beginning was decided by a personal being,
beyond time and space
Quote by Craig as part of the Kalam "Suppose we add an infinity or infinite collections to the
argument library... is there actually not one more single volume in the
entire collection than before?"
Quote by Aquinas about uncaused causer "it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause, to which everyone
gives the name of God."
Quote by Aquinas for contingent being "it would be impossible for anything to have begun to exists" if
, Question Answer
everything was contingent
What were Aristotle's four kinds of cause? Material cause: e.g. the wood that the table is made from.
Formal cause: the design of the table. Efficient cause: an agency
that creates the table. Final cause: a change or movement that is
the reason the table was made
Quote by Aquinas on his Teleological "Therefore, some intelligent being exists by whom all natural
argument. (Summa Theologica) things are directed to their end; and this being we call God."
What is the archer analogy? The only reason something that lacks awareness can participate
in goal-orientated behaviour is if something with awareness
directs it.
What are the premises of the Teleological P1 = There are objects without knowledge that act for ends. P2 =
argument? If a being without knowledge acts for an end, it's because it is
directed by a being with knowledge and intelligence. C = There
is a being with knowledge and intelligence
What does an 'intelligent designer' mean? The theory that life, or the universe, cannot have arisen by
chance and was designed and created by some intelligent entity.
What is design qua regularity? Consider that the order and regularity in the universe is evidence
of a designer at work.
What is design qua purpose? Look at ways in which the parts of the universe appear to fit
together for some purpose.
What is the name of William Paley's book? Natural Theology (1802)
What is Paley's watchmaker analogy? A complex watch needs a watchmaker to explain how it came
into being. The universe is complex and must also have a
designer. The complexity of nature is far greater than any
manmade machine. Requires a grand designer - designer is God
What are the criticisms to Paley's The universe's flaws count against the claim that it is designed.
watchmaker analogy? The analogy between the watch and the universe is too weak.
Inadequacies of general inductive arguments
What are Hume's 6 criticisms of Paley? Questioning the analogy. If there is a creator it may not be a
Christian God. Order is a necessary part of the world's existence.
Questioning the appearance of order. Just one God? What could
order and purpose teach us about the type of God?
Explain Hume's 'questioning the analogy'. Very weak. "There are other parts of the universe which bear
still a greater resemblance to the fabric of the world... these parts
are animals and vegetables."
Explain Hume's 'it may not be the Christian We have a finite and imperfect world.
God.'
Explain Hume's 'order is a necessary part of If everything was random and nothing suited its purpose then the
the world's existence' world would not be here anymore. "Many fruitless trials made a
slow but continued improvement carried on during infinite ages
Arguments for the Existence of God — Flashcard Set
Question Answer
What is inductive reasoning? When people make inferences and draw general conclusions
from particular examples
What did Aristotle call the 'unmoved mover' The Prime Mover
that began the chain of cause and effect?
What is the cosmological argument based The observation that the universe cannot account for its own
on? existence.
Which book contains a compact form of Summa Theologica
Aquinas' Five Ways
What is Aquinas' first way? The unmoved mover - to move from POTENTIALITY to
ACTUALITY there needs to be intervention from an external
force. This mover is necessary as the chain of movers cannot
regress back to infinity.
What is Aquinas' second way? The uncaused causer - cause comes before effect, if you take
away the cause then the effect doesn't occur.
What is Aquinas' third way? Contingency - beings dependent on something else for their
existence. Must be a capable necessary being.
What is a quote to show that God made the "In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth." "Let
universe Ex nihilo? there be light."
What was the issue with Aquinas' version? Circular logic
Who is a modern American philosopher that William Lane Craig
supports the logic of the Kalam argument?
What do they reject? Infinite regress.
What is Actual infinite? Something that is actually infinite in extent
What is potential infinite? Something that could continue on
Summary of Kalam's adaptation. Infinity cannot exist in actuality. So the universe must have had
a beginning. The beginning was decided by a personal being,
beyond time and space
Quote by Craig as part of the Kalam "Suppose we add an infinity or infinite collections to the
argument library... is there actually not one more single volume in the
entire collection than before?"
Quote by Aquinas about uncaused causer "it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause, to which everyone
gives the name of God."
Quote by Aquinas for contingent being "it would be impossible for anything to have begun to exists" if
, Question Answer
everything was contingent
What were Aristotle's four kinds of cause? Material cause: e.g. the wood that the table is made from.
Formal cause: the design of the table. Efficient cause: an agency
that creates the table. Final cause: a change or movement that is
the reason the table was made
Quote by Aquinas on his Teleological "Therefore, some intelligent being exists by whom all natural
argument. (Summa Theologica) things are directed to their end; and this being we call God."
What is the archer analogy? The only reason something that lacks awareness can participate
in goal-orientated behaviour is if something with awareness
directs it.
What are the premises of the Teleological P1 = There are objects without knowledge that act for ends. P2 =
argument? If a being without knowledge acts for an end, it's because it is
directed by a being with knowledge and intelligence. C = There
is a being with knowledge and intelligence
What does an 'intelligent designer' mean? The theory that life, or the universe, cannot have arisen by
chance and was designed and created by some intelligent entity.
What is design qua regularity? Consider that the order and regularity in the universe is evidence
of a designer at work.
What is design qua purpose? Look at ways in which the parts of the universe appear to fit
together for some purpose.
What is the name of William Paley's book? Natural Theology (1802)
What is Paley's watchmaker analogy? A complex watch needs a watchmaker to explain how it came
into being. The universe is complex and must also have a
designer. The complexity of nature is far greater than any
manmade machine. Requires a grand designer - designer is God
What are the criticisms to Paley's The universe's flaws count against the claim that it is designed.
watchmaker analogy? The analogy between the watch and the universe is too weak.
Inadequacies of general inductive arguments
What are Hume's 6 criticisms of Paley? Questioning the analogy. If there is a creator it may not be a
Christian God. Order is a necessary part of the world's existence.
Questioning the appearance of order. Just one God? What could
order and purpose teach us about the type of God?
Explain Hume's 'questioning the analogy'. Very weak. "There are other parts of the universe which bear
still a greater resemblance to the fabric of the world... these parts
are animals and vegetables."
Explain Hume's 'it may not be the Christian We have a finite and imperfect world.
God.'
Explain Hume's 'order is a necessary part of If everything was random and nothing suited its purpose then the
the world's existence' world would not be here anymore. "Many fruitless trials made a
slow but continued improvement carried on during infinite ages
