Causality by the definition can divide -epistemic -the existent beings into two kinds (needy entity for causes and non-needy entity for causes)
: The needy entity must be
- Imperfect because it lacks causes
- Its qualities or properties must have limits that cannot be surpassed. These limits could be modified -by a new set of causes- but they never vanish
- It must be changeable because its existence, knowledge, qualities, actions, or influence depends on the existence /absence of some causes
- It must be contingent or non-eternal in the past because there are always previous causes
: On the other hand, The Non-needy entity must be
- Omnipotent
- omniscient
- eternal in the past and future
- self-subsistence
- Its attributes are unchangeable
The Non-needy entity has these unique characteristics because he doesn't need any external required causes to do any effect, to surpass any limit of power/ knowledge, or to have perfect attributes
This meaning of causality is still robust even if we start from a radical skeptic who denies our fundamental knowledge but still accepts that he needs knowledge causes to know anything
Also, if we start from a materialistic atheism view that accepts that nature is governed by physical laws as conditions for phenomena' existence
Although the knowledge causes per se are not conditions for existence, the category of causes does not matter. What matters is, recognizing that exceeding limits demands getting causes
Then, if we know that the hierarchical causal series of needy entities cannot be infinite or self-subsistence (e.g., Hilbert's paradox of the Grand Hotel). Consequently, a non-needy entity must create everything (God). This is an explanatory necessity for the world's existence
Moreover, God must have free will because if he was an unconscious physical entity, nothing can prevent him from doing any impact on everything ubiquitously, and simultaneously, so we return to a situation analogous to causality violation (argument from chaos). Hence there cannot be a stable physical system. But this is not the case in reality
This general framework of causality can be applied to any physical law if we considered equations like conditions or (causes) governing the physical state, (contingent being), or (phenomenon) of matter/ energy regardless of time dependence
For instance, Photons transform into electrons and positrons in the pair production process near the nucleus by conditions, the reaction is reversed by conditions, the atom's nucleus fusion /fission is governed by conditions, electrons move from one energy level to another by conditions, and so on
Another important and core advantage of arguing this way is that agnostics cannot deny causality beyond our universe because they can't assume the absence of causality anywhere or at any time or assume that something could violate causality
- illustrated in my book section (When is causality ineffective?) p 46, 47, 48-
تعليقات
إرسال تعليق