Lesson 02.02

Proofs that God exists

 

     Proofs for the existence of God have been offered by people through the centuries.  We do not here claim that the follow proofs absolutely prove that God exists.  But, we have not found or heard refutations sufficient to invalidate the arguments.  We offer them to you as attempts to prove that God exists.
     Finally, these arguments are not based on the Bible (though fulfilled prophecy is a strong indication of God's existence) because sometimes people do not accept the Bible.  These arguments using logic can prove to be very valuable.
 

The Argument from Entropy and Uncaused Cause   

  1. The universe is not infinitely old because it has not "run down."  (Entropy is the phenomena of increased chaos and loss of useful energy in a system.)
    1. If the universe were infinitely old, it would have reached a state where all usable energy is gone.
    2. But, we are not in this state; therefore, the universe is not infinitely old and must have had a beginning.
  2. Because the universe has had a beginning it is not infinite in size.
    1. It would require an infinite amount of time to become infinite in size. Since the universe had a beginning, it has not had an infinite amount of time to expand, therefore it is finite in size.
  3. The universe could not have brought itself into existence.
    1. If something does not exist, it has no ability to perform an action by which it can bring itself into existence.
    2. If it exists so as to be able to perform an action, then it already exists.
  4. The universe was brought into existence by something other than itself.
  5. All things that come into being have causes.
    1. There cannot be an infinite regress of events because that would mean the universe (or past universes) were infinitely old.  But, this would require an infinite amount of time to be traversed in order to arrive at the present.  This cannot happen since an infinite amount of time cannot be traversed.
      1. If the universe were infinitely old, the universe would be in a state unusable energy, which it is not.
      2. If it were infinitely old, the universe would be infinitely large, which it is not.
      3. If it were infinitely old, then in order for us to exist here and now, an infinite amount of time would have had to have been traversed in order to get here now.  But, an infinity cannot be traversed.
  6. Since the universe is finite and had a beginning and there cannot be an infinite number of regressions of causes to bring it into existence, there must be a single uncaused cause of the universe.
    1. A single uncaused cause of the universe must be greater in size and duration than the universe it has brought into existence.
      1. Otherwise, we have the uncaused cause bringing into existence something greater than or equal to itself.
    2. Any cause that is natural to the universe is part of the universe.
      1. An event that is part of the universe cannot cause itself to exit.
      2. Therefore, there must be an uncaused cause outside the universe.
    3. An uncaused cause cannot be a natural part of the universe which is finite.
      1. An uncaused cause would be infinite in both space and time since it is greater than which it has caused to exist.
  7. This uncaused cause is supernatural.
    1. By supernatural we mean it is completely 'other' than the universe is not natural to it.
      1. This would make the uncaused cause supernatural.
      2. This supernatural uncaused cause is God.

         

     The Argument from the Laws of Logic

  1. The Laws of Logic exist
    1. Examples of laws of logic are:
      1. A cannot be A and not A at the same time.
      2. Something cannot bring itself into existence.
  2. The Laws of logic are conceptual by nature
    1. Logic is a process of the mind
    2. Logical absolutes are conceptual conventions.
  3. The Laws of logic are not the product of the universe
    1. Logic is not a process of the universe
    2. Laws of Logic are not found "under rocks", or "inside atoms," etc.  They are not related to physical properties.
  4. The Laws of logic are not the product of human minds
    1. The laws of logic are absolute.  Human beings' minds are not absolute.  They differ.  They disagree.  Therefore, what is absolute to one person may or may not be absolute to another.  Therefore, they are not the product of human minds.
    2. The laws of logic are not dependent upon people since they are true whether or not people exists.
  5. The Laws of logic are transcendent
    1. The laws of logic are not dependent upon the universe since they are true whether or not the universe exists.
    2. The laws of logic transcend space and time since they are true no matter where you go in the universe and they are true no matter when you exist in the universe.
  6. The laws of logic are conceptual, absolute, and transcendent.
    1. Since the laws of logic are conceptual, absolute, and transcendent and since conceptual realities require a mind, and since the conceptual realities reflect the mind thinking them, then the mind that thinks the laws of logic is absolute and transcendent.
    2. Therefore, there is an absolute, transcendent mind in existence.

       

Application

      These attempts at proofs for God's existence can be effectively used in demonstrating a rational defense of God's existence.  In particular the second argument using Logical Absolutes is a great method.  Furthermore, the Logical Absolutes argument and be appended to account for moral absolutes since the absolute mind that authors logical absolutes would also be the author of morals and since the Mind is absolute, the morals would also be absolute.
     We suggest that you become familiar with these argument enough so that you can present them from memory.  They can prove to be very formidable.

 

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