key words

cosmological?

to do with the universe

a posteriori?

arguments which draw conclusions through the use of reason

contingent?

depending on other things

necessary?

existence which does not depend on anything else

principle of sufficient reason?

the principle that everything must have a reason to explain it

infinite regression?

a chain of events that goes backwards forever

logical fallacy?

reasoning that has a flaw in its structure

fallacy of composition?

the error to assume the whole universe has a cause, just because everything within it can be explained by its preceding cause

mother argument?

every man has a mother is not proof the human race has a mother

twenty particles?

example: if an explanation is found for each particle individually it would be wrong to then seek an explanation for the whole collection

fallacy of the affirmation of the consequent?

the error to draw a conclusion that if the consequent is true, then the antecedent must also be true

cause?

something which brings about an effector result

effect?

the result of the action.