Causal Adequacy Principle
The "causal adequacy principle" (CAP) is a philosophical claim made by René Descartes that the cause of an object must contain at least as much reality as the object itself, whether formally or eminently.
Descartes defends this principle by quoting Roman philosopher Lucretius: "Ex nihilo nihil fit", meaning "Nothing comes from nothing". —
In his meditations, Descartes uses the CAP, to support his trademark argument for the existence of God. Descartes' assertions were disputed by Thomas Hobbes in his "Third Set of Objections" published in 1641.. Amongst other contemporary objections, CAP comes under difficulties when it comes to the idea of creation and beginning. If one accepts CAP one has to necessarily accept that there is no beginning (thus no end) in anything. Such an objection, although controversial, is justified because if God is supposed to be the creator of all, CAP would argue that he is caused by something as big or greater. Such a claim is not logically possible if one accepts that God is in fact perfection incarnate. The same goes to there having been a Big Bang. CAP would again argue that a Bigger Big Bang must have caused the one we know as the beginner of our universe. This causes what is known in Philosophical circles as Infinite Regress.
Read more about Causal Adequacy Principle: Jargon Explained, CAP in Practice
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