The Kalam Cosmological Argument

William Lane Craig, after al-Ghazali

The argument is valid.

Every inference was checked by machine. All 2 objections are answered.

Open in the playground

flowchart TD
    classDef axiom fill:#f6efd9,stroke:#a8842a,color:#23212b;
    classDef premise fill:#e7edf7,stroke:#1f4e9c,color:#23212b;
    classDef deduction fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#5b6b85,color:#23212b;
    classDef conclusion fill:#d6e1f3,stroke:#1f4e9c,stroke-width:3px,color:#23212b;
    classDef objection fill:#f7e3e1,stroke:#b3261e,color:#23212b;
    classDef reply fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#7a5c2e,color:#23212b;
    classDef imported stroke-dasharray:4 3;
    classDef defeated fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#b3261e,stroke-dasharray:6 3,color:#8a8796;
    classDef undecided stroke-dasharray:2 2;
    classDef overruled fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#c9ccc6,color:#8a8796;
    Ghazali(["Ghazali: al-Ghazali, The Incoherence of the<br/>Philosophers, First Discussion"]):::axiom
    Craig(["Craig: William Lane Craig, The Kalam<br/>Cosmological Argument, Part II"]):::axiom
    ExNihilo(["ExNihilo: Nothing comes from nothing."]):::axiom
    Gen1(["Gen1: Genesis 1:1"]):::axiom
    P1["<b>P1</b>: Whatever begins to exist has a cause.<br/><i>∀x. Began(x) → (∃y. Causes(y, x))</i>"]:::premise
    P2["<b>P2</b>: The universe began to exist.<br/><i>Began(universe)</i>"]:::premise
    D1["<b>D1</b>: Therefore the universe has a cause.<br/><i>∃y. Causes(y, universe)</i>"]:::deduction
    P3["<b>P3</b>: A cause of all of space and time is<br/>itself beyond space and time.<br/><i>∀y. Causes(y, universe) → Transcendent(y)</i>"]:::premise
    C1["<b>C1</b>: Therefore the universe has a<br/>transcendent cause.<br/><i>∃y. Causes(y, universe) ∧ Transcendent(y)</i>"]:::conclusion
    O1{{"<b>O1</b>: Quantum events, such as radioactive<br/>decay, seem to begin without a cause."}}:::objection
    R1{{"<b>R1</b>: Quantum events arise within a vacuum<br/>governed by physical law, which is not<br/>nothing; P1 concerns coming into being<br/>from nothing."}}:::reply
    O2{{"<b>O2</b>: The universe might have an infinite<br/>past, so it never began."}}:::objection
    R2{{"<b>R2</b>: A series of past events formed by<br/>successive addition cannot be actually<br/>infinite, since an infinite cannot be<br/>traversed one step at a time."}}:::reply
    class O1 overruled
    class O2 overruled
    ExNihilo -.-> P1
    Ghazali -.-> P2
    Craig -.-> P2
    Gen1 -.-> P2
    P1 --> D1
    P2 --> D1
    Craig -.-> P3
    D1 --> C1
    P3 --> C1
    O1 -. objects .-> P1
    R1 -. replies .-> O1
    O2 -. objects .-> P2
    R2 -. replies .-> O2

Sources

Ghazali

al-Ghazali, The Incoherence of the Philosophers, First Discussion

Craig

William Lane Craig, The Kalam Cosmological Argument, Part II

ExNihilo

Nothing comes from nothing.

Gen1

Genesis 1:1 (protestant canon)

The argument

Objections and replies