The FIRST CAUSE argument... OBJECTIVE: T) Thomas Aquinas=

The FIRST CAUSE argument... OBJECTIVE: T) Thomas Aquinas= a 13th ry Catholic priest, theologian hilosopher (and his bird) To study Thomas Aquinas argument from CAUSATION as an argument for the existence of

God. OUTCOMES GRADE C Will be able to give a basic outline of the argument from causation GRADE B Will be able to organise arguments against the argument from causation. GRADE A/A* Will be able to evaluate arguments both for and against this argument proving Gods

existence. Your GOALS for the end of this lesson are STARTER... Lets play a game.... Look at the following images carefully and try to work out WHAT HAPPENED FIRST! What CAUSED it? David Moyes is The family of Lee Rigby lay a

wreath at Woolwich Barracks Kesennuma city, Miyagi prefecture The Causation Argument What is it? Causation: The argument that everything must have been started off (caused) by something else. Think about the starter activity EVERYTHING has a logical CAUSE! Cause and Effect... This argument also relies on something called cause and effect. Everything that happens (effect)

must have something that has made it happen (cause). For example... DOMINOS - for a row of dominos to fall (EFFECT) they would need the first domino to be pushed (CAUSE) to set in motion a chain of causes (one domino falls onto the next which falls onto the next etc...) Who? The Causation Argument is also known as the COSMOLOGICAL argument. It was first put forward by a Medieval Christian thinker called THOMAS AQUINAS (SAINT) What did he say? Put the four boxes on pxx of your booklet in what you think is the correct order.

1. Nothing happens by itself, everything needs a cause 4. Therefore, as the universe exists, there must be a God. 2. Therefore

the universe must have a cause. 3. Only God could have caused a universe to come about. OUTCOMES GRADE C Will be able to give a basic outline of the argument from causation

GRADE B Will be able to organise arguments against the argument from causation. GRADE A/A* Will be able to evaluate arguments both for and against this argument proving Gods existence. Your GOALS for the end of this lesson are Watch the following clip... Listen up!

There are arguments against Causation. You are going to hear some of them. First listen just listen. Second listen note down main points. Third listen note down other details. Then re-write the text you have heard using the notes you made. How close to the original can you get? How close did you get? Arguments against causation include the mathematical idea of infinity. This means the universe doesnt need a beginning at all. Another argument is that even if the universe did need a cause, why does that cause have to be God? It could be an extra-terrestrial lifeform. Science argues that the Big Bang theory explains how the universe began and we have proof of that; just because everything in the world has a cause, it doesnt mean the universe did. Finally if everything in the universe needs a cause then

so does God. The theory only works if we can find out who caused God. OUTCOMES GRADE C Will be able to give a basic outline of the argument from causation GRADE B Will be able to organise arguments against the argument from causation. GRADE A/A* Will be able to evaluate arguments both for and against this argument

proving Gods existence. Your GOALS for the end of this lesson are Swap with a partner and mark each others work in GREEN PEN What do YOU think? REMEMBER you PEER MARKING your YELLOW In the exam youuse may bePERFECT required to

argue both FORcard and and AGAINST the FIRST SHEET to help you mark in the correct way. There is some CORRECT ideas on CAUSE argument. the board to help you. For example (D) The universe could not have happened by chance - God must have caused it. I DISAGREE because because. AGAINST

It DOES NOT FORI AGREE It proves that God (ORthat someexists. people (OR (OR Thomas prove DOES exist. Aquinas and ATHEISTS) might disagree Christians might AGREE because) because) This idea makes for sense and something Now use the arguments

cannot come from nothing everything needs at and has a CAUSE, against to have a go for example page 5 matter Question 2This(parts (i)with&science (ii)) Science says that is eternal argument fits so was never created or caused. cause and effect maybe God

Therefore of your we dont need REVISION a FIRST caused WORKBOOK. the Big Bang. If EVERYTHING needs a cause then God must need a cause. His argument contradicts itself. CAUSE. Think of what we have looked at over the past two Even if there was a FIRST CAUSE lessons. Everything needs a beginning why does it have to be God? It could including the universe the only Use

your YELLOW toandhelp you come up with SHEET TWO arguments FORyou and haveCan been something else like thing omnipotent omniscient matter. to start the universe is God. AGAINST. getTWO thearguments

rightenough structure. OUTCOMES GRADE C Will be able to give a basic outline of the argument from causation GRADE B Will be able to organise arguments against the argument from causation. GRADE A/A* Will be able to evaluate arguments both for and against this argument

proving Gods existence. Your GOALS for the end of this lesson are Plenary... Decide whether the following are from the DESIGN argument or the CAUSATION argument... Order Compared Cause God is the William Thomas cannot come world

to a FIRST and Effect Aquinas Paley from chaos watch CAUSE