(March 29, 2016 at 6:40 am)Rhythm Wrote: You're creating two classes of things. You insist that everything in this universe is contingent. I presume you believe that god is not, but I wonder why, beyond the need to overcome your own objections, you would believe that? Is god not in this universe?
As I had said before, I believe that everything in the universe had a beginning, because I believe the scientific evidence and reasoning, indicates that the universe had a beginning. Therefore everything within the universe, that is dependent on the universe, must also have a beginning, and a need for a cause. The other alternative would be an origin from outside of the universe.
The cause of the universe, must be outside of the universe. Once you get outside of the universe, we are limited in what we can say from science and reason. I think we can induce certain attributes, that the cause of the universe must have, to produce the effect we see. I also believe the reasoning on infinite regress, so at least eventually, there must be a first cause. I don't know of any arguments from science and reason, which state one way or the other, whether the cause of the universe, is itself contingent or non-contingent. I also don't know if we can determine from this point of view, whether something is non-contingent, although we can reason that there must be.
Once you start asking specific questions about God, I think it is important to note, that for the most part, you are entering a different territory of knowledge. It is going to be theological, and based on the history of God's interaction and revelation with man. This indicates that God is the creator of the universe, outside of the universe, and non-contingent.
