GCSE Philosophy and Ethics Practice Exam

Bertrand Russell challenges the cosmological argument primarily by asserting that the universe does not need a cause. His position emphasizes that the premise of the cosmological argument, which suggests that everything must have a cause, does not necessarily apply to the universe itself. Russell questioned the idea that the universe requires a cause or an explanation beyond its existence. He suggested that it could simply be a brute fact, something that exists without needing to be caused by something else. This perspective fundamentally undermines one of the core assumptions of the cosmological argument, which is the necessity of a first cause (often identified as God) to explain the existence of the universe. By proposing that the universe might not require such a cause, Russell invites a reconsideration of the traditional metaphysical reasoning surrounding existence and causation.