Argument from Contingency

The argument of contingency, also known as the cosmological argument from contingency, is a philosophical argument for the existence of God. It posits that everything that exists is either necessary (existing by its own nature) or contingent (dependent on something else for its existence). The argument suggests that since not everything can be contingent (because that would imply an infinite regress of causes), there must be a necessary being that explains the existence of all contingent things. This necessary being is often identified as God.

Key Concepts:

• Contingent Being: A being whose existence is dependent on something else. It could potentially not exist.
• Necessary Being: A being whose existence is not dependent on anything else. It exists by its own nature and cannot not exist.

Core Argument:

1. Everything is either necessary or contingent.
2. Not everything can be contingent. An infinite regress of contingent beings is seen as an inadequate explanation for existence.
3. Therefore, there must be a necessary being. This being provides the ultimate explanation for the existence of contingent things.
4. This necessary being is God.

Example:

Consider a table. It is made of wood, which is made of molecules, which are made of atoms, and so on. This chain of dependency could be traced back infinitely, or it could terminate in something that does not depend on anything else for its existence (a necessary being).

Variations and Related Arguments:

• Leibnizian Cosmological Argument: Formulated by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, this version emphasizes the principle of sufficient reason, which states that there must be a reason for everything that exists.
• Aquinas’s Cosmological Argument: St. Thomas Aquinas used the concepts of potentiality, actuality, and causality to develop his version of the argument.
• Kalam Cosmological Argument: While related, the Kalam argument focuses on the beginning of the universe, while the contingency argument can be applied even if the universe has always existed.

Objections and Criticisms:

• Infinite Regress: Some argue that an infinite regress of contingent beings is possible and a sufficient explanation.
• Necessity of God: The concept of a necessary being can be questioned, with some arguing it’s incoherent or a category mistake.
• Alternative Explanations: Some propose alternative explanations for the existence of contingent things, such as the multiverse theory.

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://joshualrasmussen.com/articles/contingency-arguments.pdf

[2] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/heyj.13916

[3] youtube/v=asCqyTCaoNM

[4] https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialSciences/ppecorino/INTRO_TEXT/Chapter%203%20Religion/Cosmological.htm

[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateReligion/comments/18vjf7c/weaknesses_of_contingency_arguments/

[6] https://crossexamined.org/contingency-argument-gods-existence/

[7] youtube/v=Fw8ckWDiZmo

[8] https://www.chroniclesofstrength.com/the-argument-of-contingency-for-the-existence-of-god/

[9] https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateAnAtheist/comments/1bftj2i/the_cosmological_argument_argument_from/

[10] https://1000wordphilosophy.com/2021/11/14/cosmological-arguments/

[11] youtube/v=YfxqkGJgDwE

[12] https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateReligion/comments/18vjf7c/weaknesses_of_contingency_arguments/

[13] https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cosmological-argument/

[14] https://www.reddit.com/r/PhilosophyofReligion/comments/10nka2f/contingency_argument_a_brief_exposition/