The Leibnizian Cosmological Argument

(Also known as the argument from contingency)

It's called the Leibnizian argument because it's a modified version of an argument developed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.

The Argument

1. Everything that exists has an explanation for its existence, either in the necessity of its own nature or in an external cause.
2. The universe exists.
3. Therefore, the universe has an explanation for its existence, either in the necessity of its own nature or in an external cause.
4. The explanation of the universe is not the necessity of its own nature.
5. Therefore, the universe is explained by an external cause.

Assessment