Hopefully, it covers in some way all of the many issues with the argument. British journal for the philosophy of science 29 1978. Countering william lane craigs kalam cosmological argument available on both ebook and paperback. Kalam cosmological argument research papers academia. The kalam cosmological argument william lane craig. The scientific kalam cosmological argument william lane craig.
The kalam cosmological argument by william lane craig. If you are like me, you have heard william lane craig speak on the kalam for years. Craig explains and evaluates, and later defends, ghazalis cosmological argument. William lane craig has refined it to make it the cornerstone of his argument for the existence of the god of christianity. Craigs 2015 lecture at the university of birmingham, where he did his doctoral studies which led to the revival of the kalam cosmological argument in our day. The kalam cosmological argument, by showing that the universe began to exist, demonstrates that the world is not a necessary being and, therefore, not selfexplanatory with respect to its existence. Eternity and time in william lane craigs kalam cosmological argument james still. Quentin smith, kalam cosmological arguments for atheism, in e cambridge companion to atheism, ed. A defense of the kalam cosmological argument and the btheory of time curtis j. What we call today the kalam cosmological argument, was first made by aristotle and then by islamic scholars in the 9th century. For more than thirty years, william lane craig has vigorously championed the kalam cosmological argument. The existence of god and the beginning of the universe. Whatever begins to exist, has a cause of its existence.
Mackies analysis of the kalam cosmological argument in the miracle of theism oxford university press, oxford, 1982 is superficial, and that mackie has failed to. Pdf arguing about the kalam cosmological argument graham. I aim to defend of version of the kalam cosmological argument that. The word kalam is an arabic word that denotes medieval islamic. I note that there is no contradiction involved in these things. The kalam cosmological argument is a 1979 book by the philosopher william lane craig, in which the author offers a contemporary defense of the kalam cosmological argument and argues for the existence of god, with an emphasis on the alleged metaphysical impossibility of an infinite regress of past events. I am currently mapping william lane craigs kalam cosmological argument for the existence of god, along with all its supporting arguments, counterarguments, countercounterarguments, and so on.
The arguments can be grouped into three basic types. William lane craigs defence of kalam cosmological arguments has generated a large amount of discussion in the years since the publication of his book on that topic. William lane craig, the kalam cosmological argument, the macmillan press ltd, 1979, p. In my experience, both wlc and other apologist use the word universe in a myriad of different ways, depending on what part of the argument they are trying to support. Pruss 3 the kalam cosmological argument 101 william lane craig and james d. Pdf craig, mackie, and the kalam cosmological argument. The kalam cosmological argument is a modern formulation of the cosmological argument for the existence of god. Mackies analysis of the kalam cosmological argument in the miracle of theism oxford university press, oxford, 1982 is super.
We present a formal analysis of the cosmological argument in its two main forms. Craigs book, the kalam cosmological argument, is essential reading for anyone interested in this controversial, but highly compelling, argument. In recent years, christian philosopher william lane craig has brought the kalam cosmological argument back into the spotlight. Specifically, i focus on the philosopher william lane craigs defense of the argument given in his academic writings, public debates, and online articles. Pdf we present a formal analysis of the revised version of the kalam cosmo. Isbn 97849041541 digitally watermarked, drmfree included format. Since whatever begins to exist has a cause, there must exist a transcendent. First, craig argues that the universe began to exist, using two philosophical and two. Eq 6 explain william lane craigs kalam cosmological. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Cosmological argument stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. In this paper i present objections to the kalam cosmological argument kca, a modernized formulation of the general class of cosmological arguments for the existence of god. The cosmological argument derives its title from observing the world around us the cosmos. Craig provides a broad assessment of the argument in lieu of recent developments in philosophy, mathematics, science and theology.
John mackie, quentin smith, adolf grunbaum and i are just some of the philosophers. View kalam cosmological argument research papers on academia. Craig, mackie, and the kalam cosmological argument in professor mackie and the kalam cosmological argument religious studies, xx 1984, 36775, professor william lane craig undertakes to demonstrate that j. An essential property of a being that exists by a necessity of its own nature is that it be eternal, that is.
Two philosophical arguments and two scientific confirmations are presented in support of the beginning of the universe. You have probably heard all the points and probably know them by heart. Craig s book, the kalam cosmological argument, is essential reading for anyone interested in this controversial, but highly compelling, argument. Craig, mackie, and the kalam cosmological argument. I think william lane craigs version of the kalam cosmological argument has several problems, but maybe the most straightforward is that it equivocates on the word universe. The clocks were functioning, thus someone must have set them in motion, even if their winding had been designed to last a long time.
William lane craig perhaps, the most well known proponent of the kalam cosmological argument gives a presentation on the philosophical the impossibility of an actual infinite number of things. Craig focuses on the scientific evidence for the premises of the kalam cosmological argument for a personal creator of the universe. Moreover, the leibnizian argument is reinforced by the support which the kalam cosmological argument adds to premises 1 and 2. William lane craig, the kalam cosmological argument, 108. He holds faculty positions at talbot school of theology biola university and houston baptist university. The k a l a m c o sm o l o g i c a l a r g u m e n t is a modern formulation of the cosmological argument for the existence of god. So i think that the first premise of the kalam cosmological argument is surely true. William lane craig born august 23, 1949 is an american analytic philosopher and christian theologian, historian, and apologist.
Craig s 2015 lecture at the university of birmingham, where he did his doctoral studies which led to the revival of the kalam cosmological argument in our day. William lane craig comments, ockhams razor says do not multiply causes beyond necessity. The kalam cosmological argument essay 1100 words cram. You are only justified in inferring such causes as are sufficient to explain the effect. William lane craigs kalam cosmological argument maintains that the universe had a beginning. I have, over the years, been a keen objector to the kalam cosmological argument, an argument that apologists like william lane craig use to posit the existence of a. In professor mackie and the kalam cosmological argument religious studies, xx 1984, 36775, professor william lane craig undertakes to demonstrate that j. Pdf ebooks can be used on all reading devices immediate ebook download after purchase. Arguing about the kalam cosmological argument william lane craigs defence of kalam cosmological arguments has generated a large amount of discussion. Metcalfe abstract william lane craig is the most recognizable contemporary defender of the kalam cosmological argument. The kalam cosmological argument 9781579104382 by william lane craig.
This page serves as an underconstruction bibliography of academic books, chapters, and journal articles. A defense of the kalam cosmological argument and the b. Start studying eq 6 explain william lane craigs kalam cosmological argument learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Revisiting the kalam cosmological argument bob seidensticker. One approach to answering this question is the cosmological argument. William lane craig 5 arguments for god debunked part 2 of 5 kalam cosmological argument hi and welcome to part 2 of my attempt to debunk william lane craigs 5 arguments for god. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Or is the material universe all that is, or ever was, or ever will be. Philosophical arguments for the finitude of the past. Of the many ongoing debates to answer this question, william craig examines one of the most controversial proofs for the existence of god. Philosophical arguments for the finitude of the past bloomsbury studies in philosophy of religion 97815030797. Pdf kalam cosmological argument and the modern science. In his widely discussed writings william lane craig marshals multidisciplinary evidence for the truth of the premises found in the kalam argument. Argument more recently advocated by william lane craig.
Cosmological argument kalam argument according to craig, the kalam cosmological argument is constructed as follows. Craig has updated and defended the kalam cosmological argument for the existence of god. Moreland 1 the project of natural theology 1 charles taliaferro 2 the leibnizian cosmological argument 24 alexander r. The argument, in its simplest form, is that i whatever begins to. One of his arguments for this premise aims to show that a beginningless universe is metaphysically impossible, either because an actual infinite cannot exist because it would result in counterintuitive absurdities, or because time consists of a. Eternity and time in william lane craigs kalam cosmological argument. The kalam cosmological argument william lane craig auth. William lane craig is the most recognizable contemporary defender of the kalam. Nonetheless, william lane craig, and his sometimes coauthor james sinclair, have brought the orthodox interpretation into question. It is then argued that the cause of those things existence had to be a godtype thing.
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