Welcome, McCulloch! Thank you for agreeing to debate with me. To start, here are my definitions:
The word ‘exist’/‘exists’/‘existed’ as used hear bears the meaning of actually is; things which are in reality, .things which are measurable by science and/or knowable through the senses, as opposed to mere concepts that exist in our brains.
Examples:
The earth exists. We can see it, touch it, taste it, and perform repeatable tests on it; we have empirical evidence of it.
Gravity exists. We cannot see it, touch it or taste it, but we can feel it, see its effects, and perform repeatable tests on it; we have empirical evidence of it.
The speed of light exists. We cannot see, touch, taste, or smell the speed of light; but we can measure it and perform repeatable tests on it; we have empirical evidence of it.
Counter Examples:
The number 1 does not exist. We can use a ‘1’ as a concept, to denote a quantity of a thing, but there is not a ‘1’ out there that we can see, touch, taste, smell, or perform repeatable tests on; we have no empirical evidence of a ‘1.’
Freedom does not exist. We use the concept of freedom; this concept has been developed over many centuries, but it is not a thing that we can see, touch, taste, smell, or perform repeatable tests on; we have no empirical evidence of ‘freedom.’ Any ‘measure’ of how ‘free’ someone or something is (or unfree) is purely subjective.
The dictionary definition of exist is also instructive:
: to have actual being : to be real
: to continue to be or to live
1 a : to have real being whether material or spiritual <the largest galaxy known to exist>
b : to have being in a specified place or with respect to understood limitations or conditions <strange ideas existed in his mind>
2 : to continue to be <racism still exists in society>
3 a : to have life or the functions of vitality <we cannot exist without oxygen>
b : to live at an inferior level or under adverse circumstances <the hungry existing from day to day>
Exist is used here as defined above, and as defined in item 1a and 2.
The word ‘cause’/‘caused’ is used with its dictionary definition:
: something or someone that produces an effect, result, or condition : something or someone that makes something happen or exist
: a reason for doing or feeling something
: something (such as an organization, belief, idea, or goal) that a group or people support or fight for
1 a : a reason for an action or condition : motive
b : something that brings about an effect or a result
c : a person or thing that is the occasion of an action or state; especially : an agent that brings something about
d : sufficient reason <discharged for cause>
2 a : a ground of legal action
b : case
3 : a matter or question to be decided
4 a : a principle or movement militantly defended or supported
b : a charitable undertaking <for a good cause>
Cause is used here as defined in item 1b. The word ‘begin’/‘began’/‘beginning’ of a thing means that before its ‘beginning,’ it did not exist at all in any sense whatsoever. The dictionary definition is also helpful:
: to do the first part of an action : to start doing something
: to start to work on, produce, or give attention to (something)
: to cause (something) to start
intransitive verb
1 : to do the first part of an action : go into the first part of a process : start
2 a : to come into existence : arise
b : to have a starting point
3 : to do or succeed in the least degree <I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am>
transitive verb
1 : to set about the activity of : start
2 a : to bring into being : found
b : originate, invent
- to begin with
: as the first thing to be considered
The word ‘begin’/‘began’/‘beginning’ is used here as defined in item 2a & b. The word ‘infinite’/‘infinity’ is defined as follows:
: the quality of having no limits or end : the quality of being infinite
: a space, amount, or period of time that has no limits or end
: a very great number or amount
1 a : the quality of being infinite
b : unlimited extent of time, space, or quantity : boundlessness
2 : an indefinitely great number or amount <an infinity of stars>
3 a : the limit of the value of a function or variable when it tends to become numerically larger than any preassigned finite number
b : a part of a geometric magnitude that lies beyond any part whose distance from a given reference position is finite <do parallel lines ever meet if they extend to infinity> c : a transfinite number (as aleph-null)
4 : a distance so great that the rays of light from a point source at that distance may be regarded as parallel
The word ‘infinite’/‘infinity’ is used here as defined in item 1a, 1b, and 2; that which is infinite cannot, by definition, be measured.
The word ‘natural’/‘nature’ is defined as the physical world and everything in it (such as plants, animals, mountains, oceans, stars, etc.) that is not made by people; the natural forces that control what happens in the world and the external world in its entirety. Thus, both the observable universe and that part which we cannot, at the moment, observe – but which exists nevertheless – is a ‘natural’ thing and/or IS nature.
The word ‘supernatural’ is defined as follows:
: unable to be explained by science or the laws of nature : of, relating to, or seeming to come from magic, a god, etc.
1 : of or relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe; especially : of or relating to God or a god, demigod, spirit, or devil
2 a : departing from what is usual or normal especially so as to appear to transcend the laws of nature
b : attributed to an invisible agent (as a ghost or spirit).
The word ‘supernatural’ is used here as defined in item 1 and 2a, allowing for the rewording of item 2 to appear as ‘departing from what is usual or normal, transcending the laws of nature.’ The word ‘universe’ is used here to mean both the observable physical universe and everything it encompasses, as well as that part of the natural, physical universe which we cannot see, and as follows:
the universe : all of space and everything in it including stars, planets, galaxies, etc.
1 : the whole body of things and phenomena observed or postulated : cosmos
a : a systematic whole held to arise by and persist through the direct intervention of divine power
b : the world of human experience
c (1) : the entire celestial cosmos
(2) : milky way galaxy
(3) : an aggregate of stars comparable to the Milky Way galaxy
The word ‘universe’ is used here as defined in item 1 and c(1). The dictionary definitions here were provided by the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at
www.merriam-webster.com.