What is an infinite temporal regress?

“An infinite temporal regress of events is an actual infinite.” “Thus an infinite temporal regress of events cannot exist.” This argument depends on the (unproved) assertion that an actual infinite cannot exist; and that an infinite past implies an infinite succession of “events”, a word not clearly defined.

What is infinite regress example?

Examples: “The world is supported by four elephants standing on the back of a giant turtle, which is standing on the back of another giant turtle, which is standing on the back of another giant turtle…” Eggs exist because they are laid by chickens; and, of course, chickens are hatched from eggs.”

Why is infinite regress absurd?

Suppose that every finite and contingent being has a cause, and that every cause is a finite and contingent being. This yields a regress that is absurd. Hence: it is not the case that every cause is a finite and contingent being. There must be a first cause which is not finite or contingent, namely God.

Does Aquinas believe in infinite regress?

Thomas Aquinas often wielded the idea of an infinite regress in his theological and philosophical treatises. In the famous Five Ways, the notion of the impossibility of a regress of events or operations plays a key role in each of the first three proofs for God’s existence.

What is the contingency argument for God?

The “Argument from Contingency” examines how every being must be either necessary or contingent. Since not every being can be contingent, it follow that there must be a necessary being upon which all things depend. This being is God.

What is the regress problem?

The epistemic regress problem is commonly posed as an argument for skepticism: to know any proposition P we must know a proposition Q that provides evidence for P, but this requires an endless regress of known propositions—a circle or an infinite regress—so, since we cannot acquire knowledge by means of such regresses.

What is Aquinas argument on infinite regress?

First, he argues, an infinite regress of motion, where one thing is moved by another, is impossible, and such a chain of motion must originate with a first mover. Second, an infinite regress of changes, where one thing is caused by another, is impossible, and such a chain of causes must originate with a first cause.

What are the 5 philosophical arguments for the existence of God?

Aquinas’ Five Ways argued from the unmoved mover, first cause, necessary being, argument from degree, and the teleological argument.

What is the regress argument in philosophy?

In epistemology, the regress argument is the argument that any proposition requires a justification. However, any justification itself requires support. This means that any proposition whatsoever can be endlessly (infinitely) questioned, resulting in infinite regress.

What is an infinite regress?

An infinite regress is a series of appropriately related elements with a first member but no last member, where each element leads to or generates the next in some sense.

Why are theories involving an infinite regress implausible?

Another reason for the implausibility of theories involving an infinite regress is due to the principle known as Ockham’s razor, which posits that we should avoid ontological extravagance by not multiplying entities without necessity.

What is an objection to an infinite regress?

Usually such arguments take the form of objections to a theory, with the fact that the theory implies an infinite regress being taken to be objectionable. There are two ways in which a theory’s resulting in an infinite regress can form an objection to that theory.

Does the appearance of an infinite regress prove the possession of property?

The appearance of an infinite regress should not lead us to conclude that nothing within the regress has the property under consideration—nor has its possession of that property unexplained—but rather that not everything about the possession of the property that needs to be explained has been.