Existence of God Essay - 1571 Words

In the â€Å"Suma Theologica,† by Saint Thomas Aquinas, Aquinas combines the doctrines of Christianity with Aristotelian philosophy, through the assertion that as a result of observation, utilization of the senses, and an empirical mindset, one can substantiate the existence of God. Aquinas holds the conception that in the quest for God’s existence, philosophy and theology are interwoven together and both play complementary roles. He infuses numerous theological doctrines, mainly from Saint Augustine, alongside Aristotelian ideals such as, the first mover, to corroborate his argument for the existence of God. Instead of basing his argument on human reason and rationality like his predecessor, Saint Anselm of Canterbury, Aquinas holds that it is†¦show more content†¦Movement, brought upon by the action of another, reduces an object from a state of potency to act, because an object cannot change itself from stationary state to actual movement. For this change to occur, the object that is triggering this movement must itself be in a state of actuality (Aquinas 25). As a result, it is impossible for an object to dwell in a state of both actuality and potentiality, therefore, â€Å"whatever is moved must be moved by another,† that is it should move itself (Aquinas 25). From this, Aquinas draws the conclusion that an infinite regress is impossible because there is no beginning and no end and therefore there would be no first mover or no other subsequent movers. Since there is motion, there must be a mover who is able to move things, but does not have to be moved itself. Thus, something must exist for which its nature is out of necessity and that is God, the first mover made up of pure actuality. The second argument Aquinas invokes to establish the existence of God is the proof by an efficient cause. The premise of the efficient cause is founded on a posteriori existence, one that comes after experience. It is evident that this chain of cause and effect is rooted in the daily undertakings of the world. For example, the cause of a painting would be the work done by the painter. If one were to eliminate the work done by the painter, there would be noShow MoreRelatedThe Existence Of God : God1305 Words   |  6 PagesThe existence of God has been in question for as long as mankind has existed and thought logically. Many questions have plagued the human mind in regards to God, and there have been many arguments drawn with the hopes of proving the existence of a supreme being whom we know as God. The â€Å"God† question has been presented to every individual at some point in their lives. It is a topic that will bring forth never-ending questions and an equal amount of a ttempted answers. 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These loaded questions strike at the heart of human existence. But the real question is, can we answer any of them? These questions are answered in the arguments of St. Thomas Aquinas, Blaise Pascal and St. Anselm ofRead MoreThomas Aquinas And The Existence Of God849 Words   |  4 Pagestimes, the existence of God. Each philosopher has a varyingly different theory on how whether in fact God does exist, or that he does not exist. Evidently, God’s existence has not been settled and will continue to be deliberated until humans no longer exist, however, there are philosophers who are more successful at arguing for God’s existence than other theories do. Thomas Aquinas, a renowned philosopher and regarded as one of the greatest Christian theologians, wrote about God’s existence which isRead MoreThe Arguments For The Existence Of God1056 Words   |  5 PagesNovember 2015 Rough Draft for The arguments for the Existence of God. The question Does God Exist? is a well-known asked question in the world. Most people believe they know the answer to it. The religious people would say, well of course he does, while the non-religious people or atheist would say no He does not exist. Because evil exist and chaos exists, God cannot be all-powerful. In the modern world, there are many different opinions as to whether a God exists or not. This has been an issue of great