more from Brian Davies

Single Idea 20706

[catalogued under 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / a. Cosmological Proof]

Full Idea

If the universe was caused to come into being, it presumably could not have been caused to do so by anything material. For a material object would be part of the universe, and we are now asking for a cause distinct from the universe.

Gist of Idea

A distinct cause of the universe can't be material (which would be part of the universe)

Source

Brian Davies (Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion [1982], 5 'God')

Book Reference

Davies,Brian: 'An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion' [OUP 1993], p.79


A Reaction

We're out of our depth here. We only have two modes of existence to offer, material and spiritual, and 'spiritual' means little more than non-material.