Atheism may posit an infinite series of causes to account for the existence of any single contingent substance. By positing an infinite regress, atheism must posit that it is natural for each member of the infinite series to be caused and a cause of another creature. Also by positing an infinite regress, atheism must posit that it is not natural for creatures to not be both caused and a cause of another. For every member of the infinite regress is always caused and a cause of another. Yet what is assumed to be unnatural for an infinite number of caused causes is ignored and considered natural for the supposed natural terminus of the infinite series of caused causes in say the tree stump.
For the stump itself is caused, but does not cause the existence of another creature. The atheist must then assume that an infinite series of caused causes has a natural terminus in a creature, which is caused, but does not cause another. Its as though the infinite series of caused causes together has a nature of a creature as both a cause and an effect of another creature and the total sum of the infinite series has a terminus in one creature as an effect that is caused, but does not cause another. Or again in reverse, what is natural for an infinite number of creatures within the infinite series is then prevented from causing within the final creature in the series. The natural series of caused causes has its term in the un-natural tree stump, which is caused, but does not cause another.
The prevention of the final creature, as the natural terminus in the infinite series, from causing another creature is then not accounted for from within the infinite series. For each member of the infinite series, except the final member, is an effect and a cause of another. Yet no member, except the final member, is an effect without also being a cause of another. And thereby, the norm within the series is contradicted by the singular creature at the end of the series. As the norm within the series contradicts the singular creature at the natural terminus of the series, the natural terminus of the series is really either an un-natural terminus or an unaccounted-for terminus.
In summary, there are the following alternatives which all conclude to the mixing of natural causes with non-natural causes.
1) The infinite series of caused causes is natural. Then nature includes caused causes as the norm. The term of the infinite series is a caused creature, that does not cause another as the infinite series causes another. Then the stump as the term of the series is not natural.
2) The infinite series of caused causes is not natural. Then nature excludes caused causes as the norm. The term of the infinite series is a caused creature, that does not cause another as the infinite series causes another. Then the stump as the term of the series is the only natural creature.
3) The infinite series of caused causes has individual parts that are all naturally ordered to be caused and to cause. But collectively, the end result of the natural caused causes, is to produce only one effect, that does no cause. The infinite series contains a number of individual parts that are naturally caused causes, but collectively act against the nature of those same parts to have a term in a caused creature. The infinite series then has an inbuilt contradiction with respect to what is natural to individual parts is not natural to the collective term of those same parts.
Therefore, because of the contradiction between what is natural and not natural, the posited infinite series is incompatible with the existence of the creature.
Conclusion - The atheistic claim of an infinite series accounting for the existence of any creature is false.
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