Classical Arguments for the Existence of God
There is no greater question for humanity than the one of God's existence. Our answer will affect every aspect of our lives, because if He does exist, then we are accountable to Him. And if he does exist, life and the universe must have purpose and meaning behind it. On the other hand, if He does not exist, then we are a cosmic accident and free to live our lives as we choose. Since the time of Plato and Aristotle, philosophers and theologians have occupied much of their time devising logical arguments for the existence of God.
During the Middle Ages, attempts to provide logical arguments for the existence of God became known as natural theology. However during this time, when theologians developed these arguments, the issue was not to find out logically if God existed. God's existence was a given, based on faith. Philosophers like Anselm and Aquinas were exploring whether God's existence could be attained using logic or if faith was the only method to come to the knowledge of God. In modern times, God is no longer a given. To compound the problem, many believe the scientific method is the only way to know anything with certainty. But even these people will yield to the power of logical (philosophical) conclusions, when presented using scientific premises.
Below are a few classical arguments for God's existence that are still relevant today. Though God's existence is rarely accepted on purely logical grounds, these arguments do serve a function for the evangelist, primarily to place doubt in the mind of the atheist and more importantly to remove obstacles to the Gospel.
The Cosmological Argument
Often called the First-Cause Argument, or the Cosmological Argument, it dates back to classical Greek philosophy, and later St. Thomas Aquinas who formalized it. Its two premises and conclusion are as follows:
That cause must be outside the whole universe in order to create it. There cannot be an infinite number of causes; therefore, there must be a first cause. Nothing in the universe can create itself, as that would be a contradiction. If it created itself, it must have existed before it was created (to do the creating). This argument is still very effective today when speaking to atheists who have no legitimate counter argument to speak of.
The Teleological Argument
The word teleology comes from telos which means "purpose" or "goal." The idea is that it takes a "purposer" to create something with purpose, and so where we see things obviously intended for a purpose, something had to have caused it for a reason. In other words, design implies a designer. William Paley (1743-1805) provided the most popular version of the teleological argument. The basic premise is that:
The human eye has purpose (to see) and it has complexity (retina, lens, sensors,etc.). The earth has purpose (to sustain life) and it has complexity (precise distance from the sun, precise rotation, magnetic fields, food source, etc.). This argument can be used on everything we experience in the universe that shows these two qualities; purpose and complexity. The next argument only applies to the universe and solar system.
The Anthropic Principle
Anthropic means “relating to human beings or their existence.” Principle means “law.” The Anthropic Principle is the Law of Human Existence. Most scientists agree that our existence in this universe depends on very specific and precise elements, variables and laws working in harmony. If these factors were different by even the slightest bit, life would not exist in the universe. The extreme improbability that so many factors would have come together by chance has lead many to believe the universe and solar system was designed for our existence. This is the Anthropic Principle: that the universe appears to have been fine-tuned for human habitation. Some examples include:
The Moral Argument
The moral argument originated with Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and relies on the human understanding of morality, which is universally recognized (that some things are right, and some things are wrong). The idea that some things are right and some things are wrong appeals to the idea of a transcendent moral law that exists outside the human mind. A moral law, like any law requires a moral law giver. The argument is summarized like this:
Pascal’s Wager
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) was a French mathematician and scientist who is known for his work in hydrodynamics and the theory of probability. He uses probability to justify Christian faith by weighing the various possible outcomes of belief and disbelief in the Christian God. Pascal formulates his argument as a wager using a coin toss with the probability of 50/50. He begins by conceding that It is possible that the Christian God exists and it is possible that the Christian God does not exist. He then makes these four points:
This is not an argument for the existence of God, but rather the rationality of believing in the Christian God. The argument has some weaknesses, primarily that there is more than one religion to choose from and that belief cannot be fabricated as it must be authentic. Nevertheless, if someone is considering belief in Christianity, it may still have some usefulness.
God of the Gaps
Because many skeptics accuse Christians of arguing from the "God of the gaps", it merits mentioning here. This refers to an argument used by many Christians to explain what science has yet to explain. It claims that science doesn't know something, therefore only God can explain it. Example: We don't know how single celled life began, therefore it must be God. It is a flawed argument used by many Christians. We should always argue from evidence, not gaps in knowledge: complexity therefore God; purpose therefore God; moral law therefore God. We can improve on the argument in the example by stating that single celled life is so complex that it works like a modern city and modern cities require intelligent architects. Atheists commit this flaw as well: “We don’t know how life began but some day science will answer the question.” It’s the science of the gaps.
The goal of apologetics is to evoke or strengthen faith, not merely to bring intellectual persuasion. Directed toward unbelievers, it is an aspect of evangelism; toward believers, it is training in godliness. It is possible to be intellectually persuaded of a theistic world view, as were the Pharisees, without a real heart commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Five Views on Apologetics, Stanley Gundry
Articles
Who Really Commits the God of the Gaps Fallacy? Frank Turek
The New Atheism and five Arguments for God William Lain Craig
4 Primary Arguments for God's Existence Michael Vlach
What is the Anthropic Principle GotQuestions.org
During the Middle Ages, attempts to provide logical arguments for the existence of God became known as natural theology. However during this time, when theologians developed these arguments, the issue was not to find out logically if God existed. God's existence was a given, based on faith. Philosophers like Anselm and Aquinas were exploring whether God's existence could be attained using logic or if faith was the only method to come to the knowledge of God. In modern times, God is no longer a given. To compound the problem, many believe the scientific method is the only way to know anything with certainty. But even these people will yield to the power of logical (philosophical) conclusions, when presented using scientific premises.
Below are a few classical arguments for God's existence that are still relevant today. Though God's existence is rarely accepted on purely logical grounds, these arguments do serve a function for the evangelist, primarily to place doubt in the mind of the atheist and more importantly to remove obstacles to the Gospel.
The Cosmological Argument
Often called the First-Cause Argument, or the Cosmological Argument, it dates back to classical Greek philosophy, and later St. Thomas Aquinas who formalized it. Its two premises and conclusion are as follows:
- Everything that begins to exist has causes.
- The universe began to exist;
- Therefore, the universe had a cause.
That cause must be outside the whole universe in order to create it. There cannot be an infinite number of causes; therefore, there must be a first cause. Nothing in the universe can create itself, as that would be a contradiction. If it created itself, it must have existed before it was created (to do the creating). This argument is still very effective today when speaking to atheists who have no legitimate counter argument to speak of.
The Teleological Argument
The word teleology comes from telos which means "purpose" or "goal." The idea is that it takes a "purposer" to create something with purpose, and so where we see things obviously intended for a purpose, something had to have caused it for a reason. In other words, design implies a designer. William Paley (1743-1805) provided the most popular version of the teleological argument. The basic premise is that:
- A watch shows that it was put together for an intelligent purpose (to keep time) and it has complexity (springs, glass, wheels, numbers).
- The world shows even greater evidence for design than the watch.
- Therefore, if the existence of a watch implies a watchmaker, the existence of the world implies an even greater intelligent designer (God).
The human eye has purpose (to see) and it has complexity (retina, lens, sensors,etc.). The earth has purpose (to sustain life) and it has complexity (precise distance from the sun, precise rotation, magnetic fields, food source, etc.). This argument can be used on everything we experience in the universe that shows these two qualities; purpose and complexity. The next argument only applies to the universe and solar system.
The Anthropic Principle
Anthropic means “relating to human beings or their existence.” Principle means “law.” The Anthropic Principle is the Law of Human Existence. Most scientists agree that our existence in this universe depends on very specific and precise elements, variables and laws working in harmony. If these factors were different by even the slightest bit, life would not exist in the universe. The extreme improbability that so many factors would have come together by chance has lead many to believe the universe and solar system was designed for our existence. This is the Anthropic Principle: that the universe appears to have been fine-tuned for human habitation. Some examples include:
- The composition of the atmosphere
- The expansion rate of the universe
- The location of our moon and Jupiter
- The axis of the earth
- The precision of the laws of physics
The Moral Argument
The moral argument originated with Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and relies on the human understanding of morality, which is universally recognized (that some things are right, and some things are wrong). The idea that some things are right and some things are wrong appeals to the idea of a transcendent moral law that exists outside the human mind. A moral law, like any law requires a moral law giver. The argument is summarized like this:
- Murder is wrong
- Wrong implies right and wrong
- Right and wrong assumes a moral law
- A law requires a lawgiver
Pascal’s Wager
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) was a French mathematician and scientist who is known for his work in hydrodynamics and the theory of probability. He uses probability to justify Christian faith by weighing the various possible outcomes of belief and disbelief in the Christian God. Pascal formulates his argument as a wager using a coin toss with the probability of 50/50. He begins by conceding that It is possible that the Christian God exists and it is possible that the Christian God does not exist. He then makes these four points:
- If one does believe in the Christian God and He exists, then one receives an infinitely great reward, and if He does not exist, then one loses little or nothing.
- If one does not believe in the Christian God and He exists, then one receives an infinitely great punishment, and if He does not exist, then one gains little or nothing.
- It is better to either receive an infinitely great reward or lose little or nothing than it is to either receive an infinitely great punishment or gain little or nothing.
- It is better to believe in the Christian God than not to believe in the Christian God.
This is not an argument for the existence of God, but rather the rationality of believing in the Christian God. The argument has some weaknesses, primarily that there is more than one religion to choose from and that belief cannot be fabricated as it must be authentic. Nevertheless, if someone is considering belief in Christianity, it may still have some usefulness.
God of the Gaps
Because many skeptics accuse Christians of arguing from the "God of the gaps", it merits mentioning here. This refers to an argument used by many Christians to explain what science has yet to explain. It claims that science doesn't know something, therefore only God can explain it. Example: We don't know how single celled life began, therefore it must be God. It is a flawed argument used by many Christians. We should always argue from evidence, not gaps in knowledge: complexity therefore God; purpose therefore God; moral law therefore God. We can improve on the argument in the example by stating that single celled life is so complex that it works like a modern city and modern cities require intelligent architects. Atheists commit this flaw as well: “We don’t know how life began but some day science will answer the question.” It’s the science of the gaps.
The goal of apologetics is to evoke or strengthen faith, not merely to bring intellectual persuasion. Directed toward unbelievers, it is an aspect of evangelism; toward believers, it is training in godliness. It is possible to be intellectually persuaded of a theistic world view, as were the Pharisees, without a real heart commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Five Views on Apologetics, Stanley Gundry
Articles
Who Really Commits the God of the Gaps Fallacy? Frank Turek
The New Atheism and five Arguments for God William Lain Craig
4 Primary Arguments for God's Existence Michael Vlach
What is the Anthropic Principle GotQuestions.org