Changes

The '''first cause''' is the postulate, popular in [[philosophy]] and [[theology]], that, since everything that happens must have a cause, everything is traceable back to a first cause, usually referred to as [[God]].

The '''first cause''' is the postulate, popular in [[philosophy]] and [[theology]], that, since everything that happens must have a cause, everything is traceable back to a first cause, usually referred to as [[God]].

A popular argument for atheism - along with being a popular scientific rebuttal of [[intelligent design]] - is the notion of the [[infinite regress]]. Every action or being requires a cause, so if God exists, God must have a cause; that cause also had a cause, and so on.  

A popular argument for [[atheism]] - along with being a popular [[scientific]] rebuttal of [[intelligent design]] - is the notion of the [[infinite regress]]. Every action or being requires a cause, so if God exists, God must have a cause; that cause also had a cause, and so on, literally ''ad infinitum''.  

Christian theology (and some other religions as well) states that God is the "uncaused first cause"; that He is "eternally self-existent", or that He is "beyond time and space".   

Christian theology (and some other religions as well) states that God is the "uncaused first cause"; that He is "eternally self-existent", or that He is "beyond time and space".   

*[[Paradigm]]

*[[Paradigm]]

*[[Entelechy]]

*[[Entelechy]]

*[[Special pleading]].

*[[Special pleading]]

[[Category:Philosophy]]

[[Category:Philosophy]]

[[Category:Theology]]

[[Category:Theology]]