Philosophy Existence Of God Questions Medium
The argument from contingency is a philosophical argument that seeks to establish the existence of God based on the concept of contingency. Contingency refers to the idea that everything in the universe is dependent on something else for its existence. In other words, contingent beings are those that could have not existed or could cease to exist at any given moment.
The argument from contingency can be summarized in the following logical steps:
1. Contingent beings exist: We observe that there are numerous contingent beings in the world, including ourselves, animals, plants, and even celestial bodies. These beings are dependent on various factors for their existence, such as their parents, the environment, or the laws of nature.
2. Contingent beings require a necessary being: Since contingent beings are dependent on something else for their existence, it follows that there must be a necessary being that is not contingent. This necessary being is one that does not rely on anything else for its existence and is self-sufficient.
3. This necessary being is God: The necessary being, which is not contingent, is commonly understood to be God. God is considered to be a being that exists necessarily, without any external cause or dependency.
4. Therefore, God exists: Based on the premises above, the argument concludes that God exists as the necessary being upon which all contingent beings depend.
It is important to note that the argument from contingency does not claim to prove the existence of a specific religious conception of God, but rather a necessary being that serves as the ultimate explanation for the existence of contingent beings. The argument invites further philosophical and theological exploration to understand the nature and attributes of this necessary being.