The Kalam Cosmological Argument (Library of Philosophy and Religion)

Craig truly provides us with a reasonable argument for our faith

Not as accessible as I thought.

I am getting reasonably confident that the Kalam Cosmological argument doesn't work but this has taken quite a bit of side reading of various critiques. But whether it finally works or not, what a brilliant book and it does amount to a nice serious piece of philosophical theology. If you have a disposition to enjoy philosophical theology (whether a believer or not - I am not) I think Craig's best is "God and Abstract Objects". Actually, if you enjoy metaphysics of mathematics, logic etc. this is quite an amazing book but I haven't gained sufficient confidence in it to review, but thought I'd bring it to readers attention.

One of the most sound arguments for the existence of God1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause2. The universe began to exist3. Therefore the universe has a cause

Para cualquier adepto al debate religioso actual este libro es sencillamente indispensable. William Lane Craig expone con brillantez su teoría que, ya este uno a favor o en contra, no deja de ser excepcional.

Craig's book, "The Kalam Cosmological Argument", is essential reading for anyone interested in this controversial, but highly compelling, argument for the existence of God. The book is divided into two main sections: first, a history of the argument as detailed by philosophers especially in the Arabic world; and secondly, Craig's own formulation and defense of the argument in light of modern mathematical, philosophical, and scientific thought.The first section can be skipped it you are just looking for a quick understanding of Craig's reasons for accepting the kalam argument. If, however, you find it helpful (I do) to come to terms with some of the background of how the argument came to be developed, I highly recommend it. The parts detailing why Arabic philosophers rejected the possibility of an infinite regress is still very relevent today, and the author is quick to highlight this.Craig's defense of the argument can be tedious at times, but it is well worth the effort if you want a full understanding of the issue from all bases. The argument is formulated like this:1. Everything that comes into existence has a cause of its existence.2. The universe came into existence.3. Therefore, the universe has a cause of its existence.He begins with the second premise and offers four sub-arguments in defense of it: 1) the impossibility of an actually infinite set; 2) the impossibility of forming an actually infinite set by successive addition; 3) the Big Bang theory; and 4) the Laws of Thermodynamics.The first premise is not treated as extensively, but Craig does point out that it is based on the metaphysical principle, ex nihilo nihil fit ("out of nothing comes nothing"). He argues that since being cannot arise from non-being, then the universe must have come from some transcendent cause.It is important to note, though, that the argument does not end with a mere transcendent cause, but that it points to the universe's personal creator. Craig argues that if the cause of the universe were impersonal and mechanic, then all the conditions for causation would have existed timelessly, and so any effects it produced would likewise be timeless. Only if the cause freely chose to enter into time could there be a temporal effect from a timeless being, and since only persons have the agency of free will, the cause of the universe must be personal.Two appendices are included: Zeno's paradoxes and Kant's First Antinomy.Whether or not one agrees with the argument, no one will be let down after giving this book an honest read. As a Christian theist myself, I believe this is perhaps the most rationally compelling argument for God's existence, and Craig's defense of it is undeniably among the best.

First, many 1-star reviews claim to know the faulty ins and outs of this book. May I point out one rather "loud and proud" 1-star review? It shouts its intelligence aloud, but fails to grasp Craig's argument. In so doing, this reviewer has betrayed their own lack of understanding. (And probably their overwhelming bias.)This reviewer states that Craig has committed the fallacy of composition (i.e. it is wrong to impose a claim on the universe based on our observations of "things" within the universe). This reviewer actually uses a great analogy for this fallacy: It would be fallacious to assume that a "community" has a mother simply because each of its inhabitants has a mother. That's sound philosophy.However, Craig doesn't commit this fallacy. The argument's premises avoid this entirely:1-Everything that comes into existence has a cause2-The universe came into existence3-The universe must have a cause(I'm not using exacts here, but the logic is equal)Nowhere in those three premises does Craig commit a fallacy of composition. Had he committed this fallacy, his argument would've read something more like this:1-Everything we observe has a cause: the stars, the moons, the earth, etc.2-The universe contains stars, moons, and the earth3-Therefore the universe has a causeNotice this is entirely different from Craig's actual argument. Craig doesn't impose a divine creator on the basis of things which are IN the universe; he argues for the premise that the universe began to exist; and he does so without simply stating that the universe is composed of things that come into existence. He attempts to make arguments from infinities, beginning with an assessment of the work of al-Kindi on the correlated existence of matter, motion, and time. He tries to prove the premise itself.Now, I don't agree with everything in Craig's work. (I believe in God, and believe in an ex-materia creation, so you may call me biased.) Along with another reviewer (who also gave a 1-star review), I agree that Craig's argument against actual infinites appears flawed.However, for its overall philosophical prowess, I give this book 5 stars. Don't be persuaded otherwise by the faulty philosophy of other reviewers. I'm committing a logical fallacy, but heaven knows Craig's done plenty more work on this matter than they have. While that doesn't establish the argument's validity/soundness, it sure beefs his opinion over theirs.

This is highly recommended. If you are like me, you have heard William Lane Craig speak on the Kalam for years. You have probably heard all the points and probably know them by heart. If so, then this book is still for you. It is packed with excellent information and an extensive bibliography after each section. These help with further research. This is a definite must buy. If you have any interest in cosmology and the moment of creation, you need this book.