Living Dead Man

Different Christian philosopher’s have stated the same argument in slightly different ways as a way of improving on it or making it more clear. Philosophical argument often undergo shaping, refining, and tweaking as a way of either dealing with objections, logical holes, or as a means of clarifying premises further. In Winfried Corduan’s book No Doubt About It: The Case for Christianity, he puts forth his version of the Vertical Cosmological Argument stated as follows:

1. Something exists
2. Each thing that exists is either necessary or contingent
3. A necessary being would have to be God
4. The world (or universe) cannot be a necessary being
5. There can be only one necessary being
6. Unless there is a necessary being, there cannot be any contingent beings
7. A necessary being exists
8. Therefore, God exists
9. Therefore, only one God exists
10. The God of theism exists

As with the other versions of this argument, if there is anything that you would like unpacked or just general questions or comments, please leave those and I’ll do my best to address whatever you would like.

You can find the other two versions of this argument here.