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Arguments for the Existence of God: Argument of Aquinas (1)
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Paul Jang
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2008-03-04 21:10:15, hit : 2,939 |
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Aquinas' Argument of the Existence of God
Thomas Aquinas (1226-1274), the father of Catholic theology, was one of the greatest philosophers at that time. His systematic harmony of Aristotle' philosophy and Christianity form much of the basis of Catholic theology. Especially, the "Five Ways" of his arguments for the existence of God is a significant work and controversial of the arguments for God's existence.
But some of his arguments are difficult to understand because they were written within a special philosophical framework. Nevertheless, his arguments for the existence of God is worthy to be considerable in order to prove the existence of God. Of course it has some danger in the light of the doctrine of God as the absolute One, who created man and all things.
Therefore, it is worthy to refer to the theory of the "Five Ways" for proving the existence of God. The writer, therefore is going to introduce the five ways mentioned by Thomas Aquinas (Milton and Shipka, 1982, 12-14).
The First Way: The Argument From Motion
Thomas Aquinas said, whatever is moved is moved by another, for nothing can be moved except it is in potentiality to that towards which it is moved; whereas a thing moves in as much as it is in act.
And it is not possible for the same thing should be at once in actuality and potentiality in the same respect, but only in different respects.
It is, therefore impossible that in the same respect and in the same way a thing should be both mover and moved, i.e., that it should move itself, therefore, whatever is moved must be moved by another.
Therefore, it is necessary to arrive at a first mover, moved by no other, and this is what everyone understand to be God. This argument presupposed the first mover to move another things according to the law of motion.
This is the same principle as that of cosmological argument for the existence of God which the writer is going to discuss in another section of this dissertation.
The Second Way: The Argument from the Nature of Efficient Cause
It is found that there is an order of efficient causes in the world of sensible things. It is not possible to go on to infinity in efficient causes, because in all efficient causes following in order, the first is the cause of intermediate cause, and the intermediate is the cause of the ultimate cause, whether the intermediate cause be several, or only one. To take away the cause is to take away the effect.
There is no effect without the cause. Therefore, it is relative truth whatever exists does necessarily have their causes. If there be no first cause among the efficient causes, there will be no ultimate nor any intermediate cause.
But if it is possible to go on to infinity in efficient causes, there will be no first cause, neither will there be an ultimate effect, nor any intermediate efficient causes; all of which is plainly false. Therefore, it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause, to which everyone gives the name of God.
This theory presupposed the first efficient cause for all effects to be in the world. Therefore he insists that it is possible to prove the existence of God through the theory of relationship between the cause and the effect. This proof for the existence of God has been using the method of the theory of relativity of science.
The Third Way: The Argument from Possibility and Necessity
Aquinas insists that it is found in nature things that are possible to be and not to be, since they are found to be generated, and to be corrupted, and consequently, it is possible for them to be and not to be.
But it is impossible for these always to exist, because these may not be in existence at some time. Therefore, not all beings are merely possible, but there must exist something that exist of which it is necessary.
But every necessary thing either has its necessity caused by another, or not. It is impossible to go on to infinity in necessary things which have their necessity caused by another, as it has been already proven in regard to efficient causes.
Therefore, we cannot but admit the existence of some being having of itself its own necessity, and not receiving it from another, but rather causing in others their necessity. This is what all men speak of as God.
This theory is very theoretical and philosophical, but it has a dangerous fact of existential philosophy of which Paul Tillich had tried existential-philosophical approach to the existence of God with the terms "Being" and "Not-being."
And this argument also is no more than a theory of relativity in philosophy in spite of being a little effect. In fact, it is impossible for us to perfectly prove the existence of god through the rational arguments as the theory of relativity, because God always transcends the relativity and the rational reason of man.
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Introduction
Theology 