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Certain scientists believe that quantum mechanics suggests that nothing is inherently “unstable,” that it’s possible for little bubbles of space-time (something) to form spontaneously (out of nothing), and that if a thing is not forbidden by the laws of quantum physics, it is guaranteed to happen.1 Therefore, say quantum physicists, the arising of “something” was inevitable. Captain Denny. Kill it Before it Kills You. If we look at “Why something?” a posteriori, we regress/traceback from “now”. Second, the syllogism addresses a three tiered nested set, in which each tier is not only defined, but is identified as existing. 8). The is-ness of the universe is one of its interesting features. The below video created by Reasonable Faith, the apologetics ministry of William Lane Craig, explains this important apologetic argument for God’s existence in just over 5 minutes. If we look at “Why something?” a priori, we have no basis on which to select “something” or “not something”. Therefore, the explanation of the universe’s existence is God. The First Existent can be energy/matter that has always existed. But why should we presume that nothing is more likely than something? Why is there something, rather than nothing at all? Dear Bob, Scientists stereotypically offer causal explanations. Dog as generic, however, has no existence in itself. Premise 2: C is a member of B So a priori gets us nowhere. We would not be intellectually satisfied with saying that the pocket watch is just there. The word “God” is undefined. I don’t question the existence of God but I am always looking for ways to defend my belief to myself perhaps to others if needed. 2 (2007) issue of Skeptic, I confronted my life-long obsession with Nothing. In Aristotelean philosophy, dog, as generic, is the principle of form. Conclusion: C is a member of A The conclusion identifies an element of the third nested set as a member of the first set by virtue of its being a member of the second nested set. For the universe to exist contingently, argues Leibniz, it must have an external explanation. and to annihilate [ to annihilate – to cause to go from being, to nothing. ] The questions pertaining to "why there is anything at all? Thereby it explains its own existence and the existence of each member of the subset of things within the scope of our experience. The explanation for the universe must be both “non-physical and immaterial”, I'm a Pastor in North Dakota and created ReasonableTheology.org to help make theology accessible for the everyday Christian. Belief in the Divinity of Jesus Based on the Old Testament, The Challenge of Finding Jesus in Ordinary Time, Belief in the Divinity of Jesus Based on the Old Testament - Catholic Stand. We don't share your email address with anyone, and you can unsubscribe any time. That article drew quite a response, including from outside the academic publishing community. His answer is: Because there being nothing is as improbable as anything can be: it has probability 0. cit., para. Sorry if that isn’t satisfactory. Here is a brief and simplified explanation of what has come to be known as the Leibniz Contingency Argument, or the … The logic of the argument goes like this: 1. I really wanted to be able follow this line of thought. If GOD is contingent on other things, GOD does not exist. Our experience of existence is our experience of particular material entities. If this is successful, we will be able to demonstrate “which something”. I enjoy your posts and have a few thoughts re: contingency argument. The initiating question is, “What explains the existence of this material entity?” Of course, the answer cannot be, “Another material entity which does not explain its own existence.”. It’s either contingent, which means it depends on other things for its existence. At that point in the line of reasoning, “God” is philosophically undefined and cannot be a candidate. Within the Arts and Humanities, scholarly articles are set up differently than in the Sciences. It must be outside of the universe, beyond space and time. I have recently posted an essay to my personal blog, Theyhavenowine.wordpress.com, which I hope presents the mathematics simply to the average reader. Or better yet, think of a simpler example. Or, it is necessary, which means it has to exist and doesn’t depend on anything else. Humans intellectually apprehend this principle by experiencing this dog, thereby forming dog, as generic, as a mental concept. The question “Why is there something?” is two stages of eccentricity away from a question of existence as we humans experience existence, namely as the existence of a particular material entity, such as this dog. (Op. Both Scripture and scientific consensus deny that the universe is eternal, but instead had a beginning. It discusses modern cosmogony and its implications for the debate about the existence of God. 13 No. Sign up for our newsletter plus get 50 free theology eBooks in our digital library! The question, “Why is there something?”, is often presented as the ultimate philosophical question which initiates a line of reasoning, the conclusion of which is that there must exist a being whose nature is identical to its act of existence. Premise 2. Introduction In his 1697 article “On the Ultimate Origination of Things,” Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz posed a historic question: He asked for “a full reason why there should be any world rather than none” [italics added] (1697/1973, p. 136). This reply considers only a couple of aspects. This being we call God. Philosophy starts with our common experience of reality, our common experience of the existence of material entities. [2] Premise 1. Underlying the question of why something exists (even God) rather than nothing, is the matter of the difference between contingency and necessity. Bob Drury is retired. Russell, R., 2001. A recent essay, “Why Is There Something Instead of Nothing?” was subtitled, “God is the only candidate for a causal explanation of the universe.” The essay contained the rationale: The universe either has no explanation, explains itself, or is explained by God. Science Will Never Explain Why There's Something Rather Than Nothing. That generalization, the universe, is not an entity of which we actually experience the existence. And you can’t have something come from nothing. The title of this book is in itself controversial and so, too, is the book’s theme: “The ultimate why question: why is there anything at all rather than nothing whatsoever?”¹ For some philosophers, that something now exists and therefore that something has always existed is simply a … First question that should rightly be asked is, ‘ Why there certainly. Jes... Mount Rushmore was simply discovered rather than nothing? ' ” not satisfied the... Proved something exists able to demonstrate Why “ this something ” – that... Cards: the set of contitions presented, the conclusion that a vehicle had passed through we! Answering the New York Academy of Sciences 950: 108–127, 2009 Adolf Grünbaum.. Illustrations of this given are wandering in the essay, the starting point is the of... 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