The Argument
The Kalam cosmological argument, rooted in Islamic philosophy, proposes a compelling argument for the existence of God. Its core premise resonates with the latest scientific findings and aligns with the perspectives of Christian and Jewish theology.
The premises is fairly simple:
- Whatever begins to exist has a cause.
- The universe began to exist.
- Therefore, the universe has a cause.
Let’s break each one down.
1. Whatever Begins to Exist Has a Cause
Generally accepted as self evident, the principle of causality states that every event (effect) is preceded by one or more events (causes) that are responsible for bringing it about. These causes are necessary and sufficient for the effect to occur.
A practical example in everyday life: You hear a loud noise “Bang!” in the house and you ask your kids “What was that?” and they say “nothing”! You don’t believe them – SOMETHING made that noise. How then can we logically conclude that the “Big Bang” came from nothing? Something had to cause it.
Again, practically speaking, we do not actually worry that a shark is going to appear out of nothing in our swimming pool while we are swimming. We know that this fear is unfounded and silly, and that if a shark was in the pool, it didn’t just appear there from thin air/water – something or someone had to put it there.
challenges to the principle of causality
While the principle of causality is widely accepted and is a fundamental building block of our understanding of the universe, the critics pose these challenges:
- Quantum Mechanics: In the subatomic world, quantum mechanics suggests that particles can exhibit seemingly random behavior, challenging the notion of a deterministic cause-and-effect relationship.
- Free Will: The existence of free will seems to contradict the principle of causality, as it implies that we can make choices independent of any prior causes.
- Complex Systems: In complex systems with multiple interacting components, it can be difficult to identify the specific causes of an event.
counter arguments
The idea of the universe originating from a quantum vacuum has several major challenges. While “Vacuum” sounds empty and “from nothing”, the the universe is not empty but instead filled with a dynamic energy field known as the “quantum vacuum.” Where did the quantum vacuum come from? To bring the discussion full circle to the Kalam argument – What caused the quantum vacuum?
I have already explored the “Complex Systems” topic a bit in my “Designing a System of Systems” article. The existence of a complex and interdependent system, especially one exhibiting order and governed by physical laws, suggests the influence of a designer.
We will cover topics such as free will and love in later discussions as there is a lot to unpack here, but I will leave you with this:
Without free will, love does not exist. The bible is clear on this subject: God is love.
2. THE UNIVERSE BEGAN TO EXIST
For centuries, scientists widely believed that the universe was constant and had always existed. This belief was reflected in the steady state theory, which posited that the universe is eternal and continuously creates new matter to fill the void as it expands. However, due to a lack of supporting evidence, this theory has largely been abandoned by the scientific community.
During the period when the steady state theory held sway among scientists, those who held biblical beliefs had to rely solely on faith to believe in the accuracy of the creation accounts in Genesis, even though these accounts appeared incompatible with the scientific understanding of the time. The Bible and its believers have always maintained a steadfast belief in a beginning, holding that God is the creator and cause of the universe, light, stars, sun, planets, and all that exists.
Now, the big bang theory is the predominant theory on the universe’s birth with solid scientific evidence supporting the Big Bang theory:
- Redshift: Distant galaxies are observed to be moving away from us at an increasing rate, which is consistent with the universe expanding.
- Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation: This faint radiation is thought to be a relic of the Big Bang and is evenly distributed throughout the universe.
- Abundance of light elements: The Big Bang theory successfully predicts the abundance of light elements like hydrogen and helium in the universe.
If the observed redshift indicates an expanding universe, then reversing time would mean that the universe would shrink back into a singularity. The singularity is not a physical object, but rather a mathematical point that represents the limit of our current understanding of physics – a point of infinite density and temperature and without time. Several concepts of the singularity are challenging as “infinite” poses many mathematical and logical problems, but the point remains – there was a beginning of the universe.
The origin story of our universe remains incomplete. What triggered the Big Bang?
challenges
In their quest to explain the universe’s origin without invoking a transcendent creator (i.e. eliminate a beginning and therefore the need for a cause of the beginning), physicists have proposed several alternative theories to the Big Bang. However, each of these alternatives faces substantial mathematical, scientific, and philosophical challenges.
Cyclic Universe Theory:
The Cyclic Universe theory proposes that the universe goes through repeating cycles of expansion and contraction. This cycle would involve a Big Bang followed by a Big Crunch, where the universe collapses in on itself before starting over again.
This theory has several challenges including entropy. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, a measure of disorder, always increases in a closed system. This poses a problem for the cyclic universe theory as it suggests that the universe’s entropy would increase with each cycle, eventually reaching a point where the universe would be in a state of maximum disorder and unable to re-collapse. Some proponents of the theory suggest that a mechanism exists to reset entropy at the beginning of each cycle, but this mechanism remains unexplained.
Other problems exist with describing initial conditions, lack of evidence, lack of physical laws that would allow for the “Bounce” or contraction, etc. Additionally, the expansion of the universe is accelerating, not decelerating as would be necessary to support this theory.
Eternal Inflation Theory:
The Eternal Inflation theory suggests that the universe is constantly inflating, and that our observable universe is just a small bubble within a much larger, inflating multiverse. This theory is still being developed and has not been widely accepted.
Even if this theory gained a wider acceptance, it still does not account for the cause or the beginning. A multiverse only extends the problem to a larger system – what caused the multiverse?
String Theory:
String theory is a theory of quantum gravity that proposes that the fundamental building blocks of the universe are not particles, but tiny, vibrating strings. Some versions of string theory suggest that our universe may be one of many universes within a larger multiverse.
Again, this theory does not scratch the itch for the cause. A larger multiverse cannot itself explain what caused it to be.
Quantum Fluctuation Theory:
The Quantum Fluctuation theory proposes that the universe arose from a random fluctuation in the quantum vacuum. This theory is still highly speculative and there is currently no way to test it.
As explained earlier, the quantum vacuum is not actually empty. While it sounds like “something from nothing”, the quantum vacuum it’s self would require a cause.
Other Theories:
Alien Experiment: The alien experiment theory suggests that humanity is the result of an experiment conducted by an advanced extraterrestrial civilization. This theory proposes that aliens, possessing superior technology and knowledge, may have created humans for various purposes
Simulated Reality: The simulated reality theory proposes that our perceived reality is not real but rather a computer simulation created by an advanced civilization.
These theories might have some interesting basis, but they still fail to meet the requirement of the Kalam argument. What caused them? What transcends their boundaries?
3. Therefore the Universe Has a Cause
If both of the first two premises are true, then the conclusion necessarily follows. The universe must have a cause.
Criticisms of The Kalam Argument
Critics of the Kalam argument argue that it is flawed on a number of grounds. They argue that the first premise is not self-evident and that it is not clear that the universe actually had a beginning. They also argue that the argument does not provide any evidence for the specific nature of the cause of the universe, and that it is therefore compatible with other explanations, such as the existence of a multiverse.
A significant criticism of the Kalam argument is that it’s self-defeating, as it doesn’t explain the cause of the creator. However, this criticism overlooks the fundamental concept of a transcendent God, a being existing outside the confines of time, space, and matter. This God is the very entity who created the physical order and constraints that bind us within our universe.
The Bible portrays God as the “Alpha and the Omega,” the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8). Throughout its pages, God’s character is consistently described as eternal and everlasting, existing beyond the limitations of time and creation.
Jewish rabbis often used the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, Aleph and Tav, to represent the totality of something. In this context, we see God the creator as the “whole,” unbound by the very physical and natural laws he established for our existence on Earth and in the universe.
Therefore, the criticism of the Kalam argument being self-defeating misses the crucial point that God, as a transcendent being, transcends the need for a cause within the confines of our created reality. His existence lies beyond the limitations of our understanding and the laws of our universe.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Revelation 22:13
Conclusion
The Kalam cosmological argument makes a strong case for a cause of the universe. While it doesn’t reveal who or what caused the universe, it convincingly demonstrates the need for a transcendent cause, something or someone existing outside the bounds of our known universe.
Having personally established enough compelling evidence for the God of the Bible as the cause and creator, I remain captivated by these ideas. My research and journaling have led me deeper into this fascinating subject, and I believe that if my conclusions are accurate, our God embraces the challenge. Science IS NOT at odds with God, the very being that established the laws of the physical universe. Exploring this topic further will only reveal more evidence, delighting Him as we discover new things about His creation, much like a captivating puzzle or discovery game. We only need to remain open minded and skeptical at the same time – not everything proposed as scientific facts in our school books have stood the test of time. I’m thrilled to share my findings soon and continue exploring this journey with you.