Copleston vs Russell 1947 BBC Radio Debate on

Copleston vs. Russell 1947 BBC Radio Debate on the Cosmological Argument

Freddie Copleston (Jesuit Priest & professor of History of Philosophy at Heythrop College London Can you identify any similarities between this idea of Copleston’s • Copleston supported the Cosmological argument and any other versions of the • His version of the argument focussed argument we’ve looked at? on the “Principle of Sufficient Reason” • By this he meant an adequate explanation for why anything exists. • God, according to Copleston must be the Sufficient Reason behind the Universe.

Bertie Russell – agnostic & sceptic philosopher (and all round genius ) • Russell’s rejection of the cosmological argument stopped Copleston in his tracks • Russell stated that the existence of the universe is just “brute fact” - there is no explanation to be found. • Russell’s criticism of the argument is based on his rejection of the idea of “necessary being” – we cannot simply invent a category of being without any evidence to support it. • He declared Copleston’s argument to be a “fallacy of composition” –just because you or I have a mother, doesn’t mean the universe needs a mother.

Have a listen to the debate yourself! Youtube. com Search for Copleston vs Russell Select the video from riversonthemoon Listen carefully & make notes of what they say.