March 28, 2011

PHL 100

P: Second Interpretation of the Cosmological Argument From Aquinass Second

Way
1. The world contains things, and every thing has a cause.
2. If the world contains things and every thing has a cause, then there was
some uncaused first cause.
3. If there was an uncaused first cause, then God exist.
4. Therefore, God exist.
E:
TT:
God: a being in which none greater than can be conceived
Omnipotence: having unlimited power; all powerful
Omniscience: knowing everything; all knowing
Omnibenevolence: infinitely good; all loving
x causes y: x causes y if and only if x precedes y and x makes y happen
Defense Line 1: Empirically one can see that there are things in the world.
For example, in 2001 Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs, setting the MLB record for a
single season. Bonds achieved this feat at the age of 39, an age that when
reached by every other professional baseball player in the history of the game is
met by a decline in performance. Instead of a decline, Bonds had the greatest
season of his career. And the reason behind this record-breaking feat was Bonds
use of performance enhancing drugs (i.e. steroids). Barry Bonds would not have
hit 73 home runs in a single season if it were not the case that he was taking
steroids. Steroids are the cause of Barrys home run record. Barry Bonds 73
home run season is a thing just like any of the numerous other things in the
world, each of which has a cause.
Defense Line 2: In order for something to be a thing it must have had
another thing cause it. Like the steroids used by Barry Lamar Bonds that caused
his setting the single season home run record. They themselves required a
cause, some pharmaceutical company perhaps; and the pharmaceutical

company had a construction company build it and the construction company had
to have a business owner create it and so and so on. There is an unbroken chain
of causes that lead to those 73 home runs; but if it were possible to trace the
chain back it must certainly have a beginning, for without an initial cause there
would be no chain of causes and no 73 home runs. However, if every cause itself
has a cause then there could be no beginning or first cause. If the first cause has
a cause then it would not be the first cause, so the first cause cannot itself be
caused and therefor must be uncaused.
Defense Line 3: If something were to exist without being caused, it would
be the most perfect thing imaginable. It would have to be omniscient, omnipotent,
and omnibenevolent and these are all the characteristics of God. Therefore, if
there is an uncaused first cause then God exist.
E:
Valid: Yes
Form: Modus Ponens x2
Sound: No
PAL: Line 2. Line 2 is objectionable because if everything has a cause than
the cause itself, which would also be a thing, would require a cause. Without
somethings cause, that something itself would not exist and therefore nothing
can be uncaused.