(June 13, 2012 at 11:57 pm)MysticKnight Wrote: The cosmological argument if sound is useful in establishing a first cause or unmoved mover or independent non-contigent agent.
It seems however that beyond that, it hasn't proven much. For example, it hasn't proven what is the first cause, if there is multiple agents as the first cause, what it's properties, etc...
When we think of what constitutes existence, we realize that it must be simple and not complex.
Whatever existed before everything else would be what constituted and defined existence. It too had to be simple.
Now two characteristics are known automatically:
1) It's powerful
2) It's intelligent
From intelligence, we can deduce it has knowledge.
Now something about this, is that it's intelligence and power cannot be two separate things, as that would contradict reality being simple.
Finite power is not finite intelligence. But it seems to be that Ultimate Power and Ultimate Intelligence both can transcend and be one.
When we think about what constitutes transcendent power, it seems ultimate will power is included. And Ultimate Strong will power seems to imply being Ultimate Goodness, for we know of strong will power is will to do good. And when we think of what transcends and is ultimate....we ultimately are remembering one reality which is the transcendent.
Ultimate Goodness in this instance is also Ultimate Love and Ultimate Grace.
And each of these, is Ultimately GREAT. But each of these are each other. Thus independant reality is one and God.
Lot's of usage of logical fallacies here.
1. Whether or not reality is simple is a subjective evaluation. Ergo, your statement that the prime mover has to be intelligent and powerful at once is not logical.
2. As we see in reality, both power and intelligence require extremely complex mechanisms behind them. Ergo, if your "argument from simplicity" is true, then the simplest explanation would be that the first cause is neither powerful, nor intelligent.
3. Tyrants throughout the history are proof of the fact that with great power does not come great goodness.
