Edexcel A-level Religious Studies -
Cosmological Argument SCHOLARS
May 2024 Exam Review Questions and
Answers 100% Pass
what kind of argument is the cosmological argument -
Answer>> - a posteriori
- inductive
- synthetic
what is the difference between a synthetic argument and an
analytic argument - Answer>> - Analytic - true by definition -
e.g. My dad is male.
The truth is in the definition of the subject
-Synthetic - the truth can only be determined by
experience/observation - e.g. Dads are good at
fixing things.
ARISTOTLE - what is the prime mover - Answer>> • Believed
that all movement depends on their being a mover
• There is a 'common source' of all substance;
• In other words something/someone that was responsible for the
beginning of everything.
• There must have been an 'unmoved mover' to begin the chain of
causes and effects
AQUINAS - what is his first way - Answer>> This can't be
infinite, and so there must be an UNMOVED MOVER.
His argument relies on DEPENDENCY
He says that we would not have a universe of change, vitality and
motion without a FIRST MOVER.
, AQUINAS - what quote describes his first way - Answer>>
whatever is in motion must be put in motion by another - summa
theologica
AQUINAS - what is his second way - Answer>> A very similar
argument to the first but it replaces the idea of change with the
concept of CAUSE.
Aquinas said that every effect has a cause.
INFINITE REGRESS (going back in time forever) is impossible,
therefore there must be a FIRST CAUSE which is GOD. -
UNCAUSED CAUSER
AQUINAS - what is his third way - Answer>> Aquinas argued
that the world is made up of CONTINGENT beings; beings that
begin and end, and are dependent on something else for their
existence.
contingent beings would not come into existence unless there
was some other being capable of bringing them into existence but
being INDEPENDENT of everything else. = GOD
AQUINAS - weaknesses of his argument - Answer>> 1. Infinite
Regress = even if everything moved the next thing in an infinite
chain, there would still need to be an explanation for the whole
chain's existence.
2. uncaused causer - it contradicts itself by saying that God
doesn't need a cause
3. Contingency-some theories and discoveries have suggested
that matter may be eternal.
KALAM - what is the kalam argument - Answer>> A version of
the cosmological argument, but it's from Islam
KALAM - what are the premises of the kalam argument -
Answer>> Everything that has a beginning has a cause
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