Uncaused cause
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==Counter-apologetics== | ==Counter-apologetics== | ||
| + | Many of the responses to the [[Unmoved Mover]] argument also apply to this one: | ||
#[[Who created God?]] | #[[Who created God?]] | ||
| + | # The word "God" carries a lot of undesirable cultural baggage, denoting an intelligent being. If the ultimate cause of our universe turns out to be, say, a random vacuum fluctuation, then that would be "God" by Aquinas's definition, but to call this phenomenon "God" would be misleading. | ||
| + | # Pairs of virtual particles are created (and annihilated) all of the time, in vacuum, out of literally nothing, with no prior cause. This contradicts Aquinas's premise. | ||
| + | # Even if there is an infinite regess of causes, so what? The human mind is uncomfortable with the concept of infinity, but reality has no obligation to make us comfortable. | ||
[[Category: Arguments]] | [[Category: Arguments]] | ||
[[Category: Arguments for the existence of God]] | [[Category: Arguments for the existence of God]] | ||
[[Category: Cosmological arguments]] | [[Category: Cosmological arguments]] | ||
Revision as of 01:37, 30 December 2006
As formulated by Thomas Aquinas, the uncaused cause argument is stated as follows:
- "Nothing is caused by itself. Every effect has a prior cause. This leads to a regress. This has to be terminated by a first cause, which we call God."
Counter-apologetics
Many of the responses to the Unmoved Mover argument also apply to this one:
- Who created God?
- The word "God" carries a lot of undesirable cultural baggage, denoting an intelligent being. If the ultimate cause of our universe turns out to be, say, a random vacuum fluctuation, then that would be "God" by Aquinas's definition, but to call this phenomenon "God" would be misleading.
- Pairs of virtual particles are created (and annihilated) all of the time, in vacuum, out of literally nothing, with no prior cause. This contradicts Aquinas's premise.
- Even if there is an infinite regess of causes, so what? The human mind is uncomfortable with the concept of infinity, but reality has no obligation to make us comfortable.
