Till: logical argument
Mike J Murphy mmurphy@rocsoft.com
Tue, 17 Feb 1998 13:23:10 -0400 (00887757790, 852565AE.00647001.00@notesnt.rocsoft.com)
Walter writes:
>1) Whatever begins to exist, has a cause.
>2) The universe began to exist.
>3) Therefore the universe had a cause.
I like B. Russell's take on this one. Suppose we are talking to a native
American.
Q: Where does the world come from?
A: It sits on the back of a turtle.
Q: Where does the turtle come from?
A: Suppose we change the subject now....
In like manner, now we are speaking to a theist:
Q: Where does the universe come from?
A: It comes from God.
Q: Where does God come from?
A: He doesn't come from anywhere, there is no cause
Q: If you say "God" needs no cause, why does the universe need a cause? If
the universe needs
a cause per se, then why doesn't God?
It's simply putting the turtle under the earth--when it gets to that, it's
time to change the subject.