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Philosophy / Unit 3   Philosophy 0105 short lesson, about 20 seconds

The First-Cause Argument

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The idea

The first-cause argument: everything that exists has a cause; an infinite chain of causes explains nothing; therefore an uncaused first cause—God—exists.

In practice

Aquinas made it the second of his Five Ways: trace any motion or effect backward and the chain must start somewhere.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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