In this paper it will be presented polemics about kalam cosmological argument
developed in medieval islamic theology and philosophy. Main moments of that
polemics was presented for a centuries earlier in Philoponus criticism of
Aristotle?s thesis that the world is eternal, and of impossibilty of actual
infinity. Philoponus accepts the thesis that actual infinity is impossible,
but he thinks that, exactly because of that, world cannot be eternal. Namely,
according to Philoponus, something can?not come into being if its existence
requires the preexistence of an infinite number of other things, one arising
out of the other. Philoponus and his fellowers in medieval islamic theology
(Al-Kindi and Al-Ghazali), called kalam theologians, have offered arguments
against the conception of a temporally infinite universe, under?stood as a
succesive causal chain. On other side, medieval islamic thinkers, called
falasifah /philosophers/ or aristotelians (Al-Farabi, Avicenna, and
Averro?s), have offered arguments in favor of Aristotele?s conception of the
eternity of the universe. Decisive problem in disccusion between kalam i
falsafa medieval muslim thinkers was the problem of infinity. They have
offered very interesting arguments and counterarguments about concept of
infinity. In this paper it will be presented some of the crucial moments of
that arguments.
The Kalam Cosmological Argument and the Impossibility of an Actual Infinity According to Al-Kindî and Al-Ghazâlî