Fourteen Arguments for the Existence of God Fourteen Roads to the Same Goal.

Fourteen Arguments for the Existence of God

The Ontological Argument

God as “Greatest Possible Being”

FR, p. 27-28; peterkreeft.com #13


The Ontological Argument

Anselm's Version1. It is greater for a thing to exist in the mind and in reality

than in the mind alone.2. "God" means "that than which a greater cannot be

thought."3. Suppose that God exists in the mind but not in reality.4. Then a greater than God could be thought (namely, a being

that has all the qualities our thought of God has plus real existence).

5. But this is impossible, for God is "that than which a greater cannot be thought."

6. Therefore God exists in the mind and in reality. From: Peter Kreeft’s “20 Arguments for the Existence of God” #13


The Argument from Change/Motion (Aquinas)

God as “Unmoved Mover”

CC, p. 21-25; FR, p. 23-24; peterkreeft.com #1

The Argument from Change/Motion (Aquinas)

• The material world is one of change (saplings become trees, babies become adults, mountains weather, etc.)

• Prior to being what a thing will become, it only has potential to be that.

• Other things must be involved to become that which a thing changes into (Fertilizer, food, climate)

• All things need other things to cause change and the universe is the sum total of all the changes going on.

• If there is nothing outside the material universe than nothing could have acted on it for change to begin.

• That outside force is called “God”



The Argument from Efficient Causality (Aquinas)

God as “Uncaused Cause”

CC, p. 21-25; FR, p. 24; peterkreeft.com #2

The Argument from Efficient Causality• Some things cause other things to be (to begin to be, to

continue to be, or both)• All things are caused to be by other things right now.• There must be some initial cause that starts all the other causes

that cause all other things to exist.• Existence is like a gift given from cause to effect. What/who

gave the gift of cause to cause?• AT SOME POINT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CAUSE THAT WASN’T

CAUSED!!• Why?

• Things in the universe are dependent. Things must exist to be dependent on each other, there had to be a moment when something caused the things that are dependent on each other to exist.



The Argument from Time/Contingency (Aquinas)

God as the “Self-Existent Necessary Being”


The Argument from Time/Contingency• Things around us come into being then go out of being (a plant

germinates, grows, flowers, dies)• Non-being is a possibility so things that come into being don’t

have to.• If non-being is a possibility for everything, then the universe

would not exist!• If the universe began to exist, then all being must trace its

origin to some past moment before which there existed—literally—nothing at all – But

• From nothing comes… NOTHING! So• The universe must not exist.

• Assuming the universe exists, then There must exist something which has to exist, which cannot not exist. This sort of being is called necessary. (You can shorten that to God if you’d like)



The Argument from Perfection (Aquinas)

God as the “Absolute Perfection”


The Argument from Perfection• Things vary in different ways: colors can be lighter or

darker, apple pie can be sweeter or more tart, etc.• We can arrange things on a scale and when we do we think

of them as being on a continuum of most to least (the most red, the least sweet)

• We tend to think of goodness on a scale as well (stable tends to be better than precarious, being is better than non-being)

• If these scales are inherent, then there must ultimately be some good which is “best”

• Whatever is the ultimate good can be called perfect, or, if you prefer, you could call it God.



The Argument from Design (Aquinas)

God as the “Mindful Designer”


The Argument from Design• There is an astounding amount of design in the universe.• Structures appear to be ordered at both the very small

(valence shells) and very large (super galaxy clusters)• Either all this order is the product of design or chance.• Theists argue it is not by chance.

• Efforts by atheists to explain order in the universe have thus far proven frustrating (Think Efficient Causality here)

• Therefore it is by design (according to the theist).• Design comes from a designer (intelligence)• Theists refer to this designer as God.



The Argument from Design (The Human Brain)

God as the “Designer of the Trustworthy Cognitive Mind”

CC, p. 19; FR, p. 25

The Argument from Design Human Brain• When we look at a work of art, a classic piece of literature, or

poetry, why do we not consider it might have been made by chance?

• When we look at the structure of the atom, the implications of fusion in supernova, the ability of living organisms to adapt to long term changes in climate, the order of solar systems, galaxies, galaxy clusters, super galaxy clusters, why do so many of us leap to the conclusion that it all may have been made from chance?

• The human brain is very complex, but if there is no intelligence behind it except what is programed by heredity and the environment, how much can it be trusted?• You are on a plane when you hear an announcement that

there is no pilot but you will be landed by a computer that was randomly programed by hailstones falling on the keyboard. How much would you trust the computer?

CC, p. 19; FR, p. 25


The Kalam Argument

God as the “Personal Mind Who Caused the Universe”

peterkreeft.com #6


The Kalam Argument

God as the “Personal Mind Who Caused the Universe”

peterkreeft.com #6

1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause for its coming into being.

2. The universe began to exist.3. Therefore, the universe has a cause for its

coming into being.


The Argument from Miracles

God as the “Supernatural Power Behind Miracles”


http://www.lourdes-france.org/upload/pdf/gb_guerisons.pdf


The Argument from Miracles

God as the “Supernatural Power Behind Miracles”


1. A miracle is an event whose only adequate explanation is the extraordinary and direct intervention of God.

2. There are numerous well-attested miracles.3. Therefore, there are numerous events whose

only adequate explanation is the extraordinary and direct intervention of God.

4. Therefore God exists.


The Argument from Desire

God as the “Fulfillment of an Unfulfilled Desire ”

FR, p. 30; peterkreeft.com #16


The Argument from Desire

God as the “Fulfillment of an Unfulfilled Desire ”


1. Every natural, innate desire in us corresponds to some real object that can satisfy that desire.

2. But there exists in us a desire which nothing in time, nothing on earth, no creature can satisfy.

3. Therefore there must exist something more than time, earth and creatures, which can satisfy this desire.

4. This something is what people call "God" and "life with God forever."


The Argument from Conscience

God as the “Source of Absolute Moral Obligations”


The Argument from Conscience• Modern people often say they believe that there are no

universally binding moral obligations, that we must all follow our own private conscience.

• Isn't it remarkable that no one, even the most consistent subjectivist, believes that it is ever good for anyone to deliberately and knowingly disobey his or her own conscience?

• Now where did conscience get such an absolute authority—an authority admitted even by the moral subjectivist and relativist? There are only four possibilities. • From something less than me (nature) • From me (individual) • From others equal to me (society) • From something above me (God)


The Argument from Conscience1. How can I be absolutely obligated by something less than

me—for example, by animal instinct ? 2. How can I obligate myself absolutely? Am I absolute? Do

I have the right to demand absolute obedience from anyone, even myself?

3. How can society obligate me? What right do my equals have to impose their values on me? Does quantity make quality? Do a million human beings make a relative into an absolute? Is "society" God?

4. The only source of absolute moral obligation left is something superior to me. This binds my will, morally, with rightful demands for complete obedience.

5. I suppose we could call this “something” God



The Argument from Religious Experience

God as the “Supernatural Reality Experienced by Many”




God as the “Supernatural Reality Experienced by Many”


1. Many people of different eras and of widely different cultures claim to have had an experience of the "divine."

2. It is inconceivable that so many people could have been so utterly wrong about the nature and content of their own experience.

3. Therefore, there exists a "divine" reality which many people of different eras and of widely different cultures have experienced.

Personal Note: This argument can easily be viewed as falling into the logical fallacy of “Argumentum ad Populum.”


The Common Consent Argument

God as the “Ultimate Being Deserving of Reverence”




God as the “Ultimate Being Deserving of Reverence”


1. Belief in God—that Being to whom reverence and worship are properly due—is common to almost all people of every era.

2. Either the vast majority of people have been wrong about this most profound element of their lives or they have not.

3. It is most plausible to believe that they have not. 4. Therefore it is most plausible to believe that God exists.

Personal Note: This argument can easily be viewed as falling into the logical fallacy of “Argumentum ad Populum.” HOWEVER, this argument does not insist on being right by majority, only that it is most plausible.


Pascal’s Wager

God as the “Best Bet”


Fourteen Arguments for the Existence of GodPascal’s Wager

CC 30-33, FR, p. 33-34; peterkreeft.com #19

1. Consider the possibilitiesa) God Exists and I don’t believe in God.b) God Exists and I do believe in God.c) God does not exist and I don’t believe in God.d) God does not exist and I do believe in God.

2. Consider the consequencesa) Go to hellb) Go to heavenc) No consequences, you’re dead.d) No consequences, you’re dead.

3. Which options pays off the best? Which the worst? Which won’t matter?

Anthropic Coincidencesby Stephen Barr CC pp. 35-49

ExamplesStrong Nuclear Force

Three Alpha Process and Resonance/Energy LevelsElectromagnetism and Weak Interaction

Flatness of SpaceThree-Dimensionality of Space

Nature Obeys the Principles of Quantum Theory

Arguments Against (and Responses)Different Kinds of Life Might Have Arisen

Conventional Scientific Explanations ExistA Yet-to-be-Discovered Principle Explains All

Weak Anthropic Principle (and Responses)Infinite Regions of One Universe

Infinite Universes

“Anthropic Significance”

Problem OfEVIL

The Problem of Evilby Peter Kreeft

Six Possibly Ambiguous Terms:God; Existence; Evil (Moral & Physical);

Goodness; Omnipotence; Happiness

The Problem of the Unjust Distribution of Evil

Two Mysteries of Solidarity:Original Sin & Vicarious Atonement

Further Examples:

“A: Sunny days are good. B: If all days were sunny, we'd never have rain, and without rain, we'd have famine and death.”

“ A: I don’t think we should fund the attack submarine program. B: That would leave us defenseless. We must defend ourselves.”

“A: Speed limits on interstate highways should be raised. B: Eliminate speed limits? Imagine the higher medical costs and dead teenagers”

“Christianity teaches that as long as you say ‘Sorry’ afterwards, it doesn’t matter what you do. Even the worst moral crimes can be

quickly and easily erased by simply uttering a word.”

“Trinitarianism holds that three equals one. But three does not equal one. Therefore, Trinitarianism is false.”

“People who think abortion should be banned have no respect for the rights of women. They treat them as nothing but baby-making

machines. That's wrong. Women must have the right to choose.”

Fourteen Arguments for the Existence of God Fourteen Roads to the Same Goal.

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