temporal events without a cause is impossible. It follows that the eternity of the universe must be deemed impossible (1) under both assumptions. Thus, maintaining its eternity is impossible under either of the two contradictory assumptions—which is what was to be proved.

[The Position That Beginningless Temporal Events Are Possible Invalidates the Claim That the Universe Is Eternal]

This is the assumption we now wish to discuss: namely, that temporal events may continue perpetually in an infinite regress and that beginningless temporal events are possible. On this view, it is necessarily impossible for a temporal event to occur without a temporally originated cause; to our knowledge, all rational people agree on this. For that would amount to determining one of the two alternatives of a contingent thing without a complete determinant, even though a complete determinant is possible—that is, temporal events would occur without a temporally originated cause even though such a cause could always arise.

No rational person has maintained this [to our knowledge] (2). It is false, because that (3) entails preferring one of two equivalent alternatives over the other without a determinant. For if a particular event bears the same relation to every point in time, and its relation to the power and will of the eternal Agent is the same under all circumstances, while the Agent has always remained in one and the same state, then it is self-evident that selecting one time rather than another for bringing that event into existence amounts to preferring (4) one of two equivalent alternatives over the other without a determinant.

Moreover, if it is said, “This is possible,” then—since our discussion proceeds on the assumption that an endless succession of temporal events is possible—it would be possible for Him to will one event after another with no first event. This does not entail (5) that He wills a particular event in pre-eternity, for the existence of a particular temporal event in pre-eternity is impossible.