Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Roadmap for an Argument for the Existence of God

By Thomas M. Cothran

This is the second in a series of posts setting out an argument for the existence of God.

This post sets out the initial roadmap for the argument for the existence of God that will be set out in later posts. The particular argument I will be using is derived from Robert Spitzer’s New Proofs for the Existence of God and W. Norris Clarke’s The One and the Many. Both are simplified versions of Aquinas’ Second Way, and they do not rely on any particular metaphysical view of the world. Thus, one does not need to accept Aquinas’ metaphysics to find the argument compelling.

The argument will proceed in five major steps. The first step is a proof for the thesis that at least one unconditioned reality exists. As we will see shortly in greater detail, an unconditioned reality is one that does not depend on another reality for its existence. It is an absolute reality that transcends the order of space and time.

The next steps will be as follows: 2) an unconditioned reality must be absolutely simple, 3) an unconditioned reality must be infinite in all perfections, 4) an unconditioned reality is absolutely unique (i.e., there is only one unconditioned reality), and finally 5) unconditioned reality is the creator of all that is.

My plan is to devote a single post to explaining each step of the argument, and perhaps additional posts to consider any objections. I may modify the plan as we move along.

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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:30 PM

    "Larry And His Magic _____", an alleged musician (also portrayed by Spencer) whose various appearances featured a series of different instruments. His call-and-response act featured him proclaiming, "I'm gonna play my (trumpet, fiddle, xylophone, kettle drum, accordion, etc.)" and the audience shouting back, "Whatcha gonna do?" This exchange would be repeated twice, after which he would announce, "I'm gonna play my (instrument) nowwww!" Instead of playing, though, he would merely repeat his audience-punctuated declaration. After a few verses of this, the skit would inevitably end with Spencer failing to play his instrument. Either time would run out, the instrument would malfunction or be booby-trapped, or he would manage to produce a few inept notes before being permanently interrupted by Barris.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thomas M. Cothran8:34 PM

    Anonymous,

    If you are too anxious to wait for the imminent posts on this topic, you could obtain a copy of the same argument in the books by Robert Spitzer or W. Norris Clarke that I mentioned.

    You do, I presume, know how to request a book from the library.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Martin Cothran11:27 PM

    Anonymous,

    I find it ironic that, after implicitly criticizing Thomas for not producing his conclusion (knowing that the post is only a part of a series), you don't bother to draw the implicit inference of your own post.

    Is this comment a part of a series you intend to complete?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous6:33 AM

    Watcha gonna do?

    ReplyDelete

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