Craig’s Kalām Cosmological Argument

Abstract

William Lane Craig, the contemporary Christian philosopher of religion, is the foremost advocate of the kalām cosmological argument. Although Craig’s kalām cosmological argument is not totally unique, he advances the kalām cosmological argument in at least two distinct ways. First, he takes modern set theory into account in his defence of the impossibility of an actual infinite, ensuring that the kalām cosmological argument is in line with contemporary mathematics. Second, unlike his predecessors, Craig presents scientific arguments together with the philosophical arguments in support of a beginning of the universe. As a result, Craig has helped foster interaction between philosophers and physicists regarding the origin of the universe. This chapter offers an analysis of Craig’s formulation and defence of the argument.