Last week, in a fit of fury, I swore I would write an article proving God's existence.
So here I am, ditching my math test and drudging it all up again. To understand this argument calls for at least some intelligence. For those of you who grasp it easily, don't berate me for going slowly. I wish to make it as simple as possible so that everyone can understand.
One big disclaimer: This argument is not intended to prove Christianity. It is intended to prove the existence of a greater mind, a governing intellect, which is technically the definition of God.
The Transcendental Argument
There are such things called logical absolutes. This means, basically, something that is true no matter what. Many examples would fit (A = A, Law of Excluded Middle, etc.), but let's take the example 2 + 2 = 4 for now. No one disputes this simple equation. It is an absolute fact. We will call it a 'law' for now.
Now, if you go back a billion years in the past, will two plus two still equal four? If you go twenty billion years into the future, will two plus two still equal four? Yes, it will. No matter where you go or what you do, two plus two will still equal four.
We can do the same thing for space. No matter how far you travel around in the universe, two plus two will still equal four.
So, we can say that this absolute is not dependent on time or space.
Now, can we find "two plus two equals four" under a rock? Can you bottle it? Can you see it, hold it, observe it? No. You can write it down, but it is still true whether you write it down or not.
So now, we know that this law is conceptual. It exists in the mind.
We also know it is absolute, so we can now call it an "absolute concept."
No objections here?
Okay, let's push that quick bit aside for now.
Now, let's say I imagine that legos turn into watermelons (yes, I have very weird dreams). This is a concept I have (not an absolute one, like shown above). It does exist, in the sense it exists in imagination. The concept does exist, and though it might not be reality, it is reality that the concept exists.
Now, say, hypothetically, all humans became allergic to themselves and died. And just to kill the animal lovers' arguments, let's say all animals started pushin' daisies, too. Let's say the entire universe is completely devoid of life.
Would my concept of legos turning into watermelons still exist?
The answer is no.* There are no humans, no life, no minds, and especially not me, so my concept would not exist.
What does this prove?
That concepts are dependent upon a mind. If you do not have a concept, you do not have a mind. All conceptual things originate from a mind.
Now, let's go back to two plus two equals four.
This is a concept, right?
Let's apply to it one question - if all life possible in the entire universe vanished and left us with a desert planet . . . would two plus two still equal four?
Yes.** It would.
What does this mean?
That logical absolutes are not dependent upon human minds.
But let's put this into order, now.
Logical absolutes are conceptual, right? Conceptual in the absolute, 'will exist if humans die' kind of way. And since concepts, by definition, cannot exist without a mind, then there must be a mind that is the basis of logical absolutes. Since the logical absolutes are transcendent of both space and time, then the mind behind the concept must also be transcendent of space and time.
To put it systematically:
Logical absolutes are not dependent on human minds.
Logical absolutes are not dependent on space or time.
Logical absolutes are conceptual.
All concepts are a product of a mind.
A concept cannot exist without a mind.
If we ceased to exist, logical absolutes would still exist.
Thus, logical absolutes are dependent on another mind which is transcendent of time and space.
And that is why I believe in God.
~Antier
*One objection I have heard is that an infinite number of concepts exist, and when we think them, we simply "realize" them, and that they exist even when we don't. But for something to exist it must have attributes, or properties. If concepts are not thought, seen, realized, and have absolutely no property that can be applied to them, then by all technical definitions, they do not exist.
**Some people actually say that no, two plus two would not equal four in this situation. But basic logical principles are needed for any type of existence, be it physical or nonphysical. If A did not still equal A (law of identity), then not even a desert planet, let alone space and time itself, could exist.
