The Kalam Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God.

I'm currently writing a paper on what's called the Kalam cosmological argument for the existence of God. This was first proposed, as the name implies, by an Islamic theologian and philosopher, Abû Hâmid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazâlî (1055/6-1111), see: Frank Giffel (2020). rather more recently, the argument has been defended by (among others, but most prominently) W.L. Craig and Andrew Loke.

The argument may be expressed as a syllogism, thus:

(1) The Universe had a beginning;

(2) Everything that has a beginning has a cause;

(3) Therefore, the Universe had a cause.

My own version of the argument is a bit different:

(1) The Universe exists;

(2) The Universe had a beginning, and will have an end.

(3) Everything that exists, and has a beginning and an end has a cause;

(4) Therefore, the Universe has a cause.

I argue that infinite temporal and causal regresses and progresses are both impossible, and that physical infinities (as opposed to conceptual or mathematical ones) are impossible. Given that this is so, the Universe must have had a beginning in time, and must have had a First Cause.

It should be noted that this argument in no way proves that the First Cause was a personal Creator. Additional premises are required to prove that, assuming it is provable.

Nor does it prove that any putative personal Creator was morally perfect, or omnibenevolent. He (if it was or is a 'he') could just as easily be the Gnostic Demiurge. Indeed, given the level of evil and suffering in the world, that is very likely, pace Leibniz (1710, 1951). William Blake had much to say about this Divine Artificer (Blake, Book of Urizen, 1794-5, 1815), none of it favourable.

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