On the First Cause
The first cause argumen (or cosmological argument) argues that there must be something which caused the universe to exist, reasoning that if everything which begins to exist has a cause (presuming this to be obvious), that the universe must have a cause of its existence, or, that the universe must have always existed, and be infinitely old.
The leap is then made, inexplicably, that what caused the universe to exist is God.
Well, first of, have we ever seen anything begin to exist? We have seen things come to be made -- but they are generally made from other, already existing things. These are mere rearrangements of already existing atoms. So these everyday thigns don't count. The only things which we have ever observed to pop into existence from nothing are electrons and anti-electrons, which appear to be popping into existence in pairs and nearly-instantly annihilating each other, all over the place and all the time. And funny enough, these events of things popping into existence so far as we can tell appear to be uncaused. So the only things we have ever observed popping into existence from nothing appear to be uncaused. But the universe popping into existence, that must have a cause? How do you figure? I think someone claiming the universe needs a cause for its existence is making a category error. Rearranging of atoms to "make" something is not like making atoms from nothing.
Another point: There is an idea of causality we have in our minds, and this idea depends on time. There is no observable "outside" the universe, nor, it would seem any such thing as "before" the universe began. So how could there be something like a "cause," when the very concept of "cause" depends on time -- a property of the universe?
Finally, if it is posited that the universe must have a cause because "everything" has a cause, then the existence of a god more complicated and bigger than the universe itself is posited as this cause, what is the cause of this god's existence? Or, why is this god exempt from needing a cause, while the universe is not exempt? How is it that something bigger and more complicated than the universe is permitted to "exist" without a cause, but the universe requires a cause? This is special pleading.