1947 BBC Radio Debate on the Cosmological Argument

Freddie Copleston (Jesuit Priest & professor of History of Philosophy at Heythrop College London Copleston supported the Cosmological argument His version of the argument focussed on the “Principle of Sufficient Reason” By this he meant an adequate explanation for why anything exists. God, according to Copleston must be the Sufficient Reason behind the Universe. Can you identify any similarities between this idea of Copleston’s and any other versions of the argument we’ve looked at?

Bertie Russell – agnostic & sceptic philosopher ( and all round genius ) Russell’s rejection of the cosmological argument stopped Copleston in his tracks Russell stated that the existence of the universe is just “brute fact” - there is no explanation to be found. Russell’s criticism of the argument is based on his rejection of the idea of “necessary being” – we cannot simply invent a category of being without any evidence to support it. He declared Copleston’s argument to be a “fallacy of composition” –just because you or I have a mother, doesn’t mean the universe needs a mother.

Have a listen to the debate yourself! Youtube.com Search for Copleston vs Russell Select the video from riversonthemoon Listen carefully & make notes of what they say.