Q&A: Questions about the Cosmological and Physico-Theological Arguments
Questions about the Cosmological and Physico-Theological Arguments
Question
Hello, Rabbi, do the cosmological argument and the physico-theological argument prove the existence of God even now? After all, once the cause has produced its effect, the effect no longer needs it. From the moment God caused the world to exist (or planned it, designed it), the world no longer really needs Him, and so it seems that these arguments prove only the existence of a God who created (or designed) the world, and nothing more.
I saw in the Tanya — I do not remember exactly where — that the world needs God at every moment, but that does not sound all that compelling to me.
In practice, the question is whether God ultimately exists.
Answer
Do you think that I exist? I wrote here a minute ago, so by now it is reasonable to assume that I no longer exist.