The Kalām Cosmological Argument: A Reassessment

193 Pages·2018·1.98 MB·English

by  Jacobus Erasmus (auth.)

Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy
of Traditions and Cultures 25
Jacobus Erasmus
The Kalām
Cosmological
Argument: A
Reassessment
Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy
of Traditions and Cultures
Volume 25
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Jacobus Erasmus
The Kala¯m Cosmological
Argument: A Reassessment
123
JacobusErasmus
SchoolofPhilosophy,FacultyofHumanities
North-WestUniversity
Potchefstroom,SouthAfrica
ISSN2211-1107 ISSN2211-1115 (electronic)
SophiaStudiesinCross-culturalPhilosophyofTraditionsandCultures
ISBN978-3-319-73437-8 ISBN978-3-319-73438-5 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73438-5
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Tomyparents
MikeandRenéeErasmus
Preface
This book is a substantial revision of my doctoral dissertation entitled Towards a
More Persuasive Kala¯m Cosmological Argument: Permitting the Actual Infinite,
which was passed in fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy
degree at the North-West University in 2016. However, I estimate that at least
fifty percent of the material in this book is new and was not part of my doctoral
dissertation. This new material formed part of my postdoctoral research, which I
conductedfortheSchoolofPhilosophyatthePotchefstroomCampusoftheNorth-
WestUniversityinSouthAfrica.
Every writer quoted in this study has inspired me, and so they all deserve my
thanks. I wish to thank my doctoral supervisor, Professor Anné Verhoef, for his
wisdomandsupport.ItwasProfessorVerhoefwhofirstsuggestedtomethatIuse
my dissertation as the basis of a book. I am also indebted to R. Douglas Geivett
for his helpful comments on my doctoral dissertation. I would also like to thank
Laureano Luna for the many interesting discussions we have had about the kala¯m
cosmologicalargument.Lunahashadapositiveinfluenceonmeand,inturn,onthis
work.Iwishtothankmyparents,MikeandRenée,fortheirlovingencouragement.
Lastly, I wish to thank my wonderful wife, Elaine, for her unfailing love, support,
andunderstanding.NotonlyhasElaineputupwithmylonghoursofstudy,butshe
hasbeenwillingtolistentomymanyphilosophicalramblings.Elaine,anincredible
ladysuchasyouis,indeed,hardtofind.
Potchefstroom,SouthAfrica JacobusErasmus
January2017
vii
Contents
1 Introduction................................................................. 1
1.1 WhatIstheKala¯mCosmologicalArgument? ...................... 1
1.2 PurposeoftheBookandOutlineoftheChapters .................. 3
1.3 WhyStudytheKala¯mCosmologicalArgument? .................. 5
References.................................................................... 11
PartI Historical Background of the Kala¯m Cosmological
Argument
2 TheDoctrineofCreatioexNihilo......................................... 15
2.1 Introduction........................................................... 15
2.2 BiblicalSupportforCreatioexNihilo .............................. 17
2.2.1 Words,Concepts,andCreatioexNihilo................... 18
2.2.2 Ba¯ra¯’......................................................... 19
2.2.3 TheOldTestamentandCreatioexNihilo................. 22
2.2.4 TheNewTestamentandCreatioexNihilo................ 26
2.3 ImportantJewishProponentsofCreatioexNihilo ................. 27
2.3.1 IsaacIsraeli ................................................. 27
2.3.2 BachyaibnPaquda ......................................... 28
2.3.3 AbrahamBarChiyya....................................... 28
2.3.4 MosesMaimonides......................................... 28
2.3.5 JosephAlbo................................................. 29
2.3.6 IsaacAbravanel,AbrahamShalomandAbraham
Bibago....................................................... 30
2.3.7 IsaacArama................................................. 30
2.4 ImportantChristianProponentsofCreatioexNihilo............... 31
2.4.1 ClementofRome........................................... 31
2.4.2 OdesofSolomon ........................................... 33
2.4.3 TheShepherdofHermas................................... 33
ix
x Contents
2.4.4 AristidesofAthens......................................... 35
2.4.5 OtherNotableChristianThinkers.......................... 36
2.4.6 BishopTempier’sCondemnationof1277................. 37
2.5 Conclusion............................................................ 38
References.................................................................... 39
3 Philoponus’CreatioexNihiloArgument................................. 41
3.1 Introduction........................................................... 41
3.2 AristotleonInfinity .................................................. 42
3.3 Philoponus’InfinityArgument ...................................... 44
3.3.1 The Argument Based on the Impossibility
ofanActualInfinite ........................................ 44
3.3.2 The Argument Based on the Impossibility of
TraversinganActualInfinite............................... 47
3.3.3 The Argument Based on the Impossibility of
IncreasinganActualInfinite............................... 48
3.4 ACritiqueofPhiloponus’InfinityArgument....................... 49
3.5 Philoponus’InfluenceonKala¯m .................................... 50
References.................................................................... 51
4 Al-Ghaza¯l¯ı’sKala¯mCosmologicalArgument............................ 53
4.1 Introduction........................................................... 53
4.2 FirstStep:TheWorldHasaCause.................................. 54
4.3 SecondStep:TheCauseoftheWorldIsGod....................... 57
4.3.1 Eternality.................................................... 58
4.3.2 Incorporeality............................................... 59
4.3.3 Oneness ..................................................... 59
4.3.4 Power........................................................ 60
4.3.5 Volition...................................................... 60
4.4 ACritiqueofAl-Ghaza¯l¯ı’sKala¯mCosmologicalArgument....... 62
References.................................................................... 63
5 TheRiseofSetTheoryandModernCosmology........................ 65
5.1 Introduction........................................................... 65
5.2 SetTheory............................................................ 65
5.3 ModernCosmology.................................................. 72
References.................................................................... 77
6 Craig’sKala¯mCosmologicalArgument.................................. 79
6.1 Introduction........................................................... 79
6.2 SynopsisofCraig’sKala¯mCosmologicalArgument............... 80
6.3 FirstPremise:EverythingThatBeginstoExistHasaCause
ofItsExistence....................................................... 82
6.4 SecondPremise:TheUniverseBegantoExist ..................... 82
6.4.1 ArgumentBasedontheImpossibilityofanActual
Infinite....................................................... 82
Contents xi
6.4.2 Argument Based on the Impossibility of the
FormationofanActualInfinitebySuccessive
Addition..................................................... 85
6.4.3 ScientificArgumentsinFavourofaFiniteUniverse ..... 86
6.5 Conclusion:TheUniverseHasaCauseofItsExistence........... 87
6.6 Craig’sUniqueContribution......................................... 88
References.................................................................... 88
PartII ADefenceoftheKala¯mCosmologicalArgument
7 ProblemswiththeInfinityArgument .................................... 91
7.1 Introduction........................................................... 91
7.2 TheInfinityArgument ............................................... 92
7.3 TheInfinityArgumentandPlatonism............................... 93
7.3.1 WhatIsPlatonism?......................................... 93
7.3.2 IstheInfinityArgumentIncompatiblewith
Platonism? .................................................. 96
7.4 TheInfinityArgumentandOmniscience ........................... 99
7.4.1 WhatIsOmniscience?...................................... 99
7.4.2 IstheInfinityArgumentIncompatiblewithGod’s
Omniscience?............................................... 100
7.5 TheInfinityArgumentandMetaphysicalIntuitions................ 106
7.6 Conclusion............................................................ 107
References.................................................................... 107
8 PhilosophicalArgumentsforaBeginning ............................... 109
8.1 Introduction........................................................... 109
8.2 TheKeyTermsinPremise1......................................... 109
8.2.1 ‘Universe’................................................... 109
8.2.2 ‘CameintoExistence’...................................... 111
8.3 TheArgumentBasedonTraversingInfiniteTime.................. 114
8.4 TheArgumentBasedonUngroundedCausalChains.............. 117
8.4.1 Every Causal Chain Has a First Cause
oraTranscendentCause ................................... 118
8.4.2 TimeIsaCausalChain..................................... 120
8.4.3 TimeHasaFirstCauseoraTranscendentCause......... 121
8.5 TheArgumentBasedontheParadoxesofBeginningless
Time................................................................... 121
8.5.1 TheGongPealParadox .................................... 121
8.5.2 ThePersistentLiarParadox................................ 123
8.6 Conclusion............................................................ 126
References.................................................................... 126
9 CanCosmologyJustifyBeliefinanEternalUniverse? ................ 129
9.1 Introduction........................................................... 129
9.2 CanACosmologyModelJustifyBeliefinanEternal
Universe? ............................................................. 130