Agnosticism - 1
Matthew Weaver
Mr. Clarke
AP Language
March 13, 2013 The Existence of God
The most argued over topic in the world is undoubtedly the existence of “God”. But after thousands of years it is still impossible to prove his existence or nonexistence. In the scientific community it is required that there is ample data to prove a claim, but in the modern world “Gods” existence is based on faith or of forms of proof. So how do we know if he is real or not? Thomas Aquinas is a firm believer of the existence of a god; He argues for the proof of god by his five proofs. For motion to take place, something must have caused it to move, every effect has a cause, Something that doesn’t exist cannot make something come into existence, a standard of living, and all beings considered unintelligent half to be led some something. For his first “proof of God” Aquinas argues that any motion that takes place requires something to cause it to move. For example a ball won’t move, unless a slope causes it to roll down a hill, or a child kicks it. So the ball always had the potential to move, but its potential cannot be reached unless something acts upon it. By this theory something had to start the movement of the universe, which the only first mover could be God. In his second proof Cause and effect is brought into play. It is very similar to his first proof in that nothing would happen unless something caused it to happen. And because an infinite series of cause and effect is irrational, there must be an original cause that requires no cause; Hence God. The third proof deals with being or not being. All things have the possibility of existing or not existing. The shirt that you are wearing now exists but there was a time when it did not. Aquinas’s argument is that for that something to go from not being to being, there had to be an original being to create it. For example the shirt that you wear had to be created in a factory; And to manufacture something you must “be”. So
Mr. Clarke
AP Language
March 13, 2013 The Existence of God
The most argued over topic in the world is undoubtedly the existence of “God”. But after thousands of years it is still impossible to prove his existence or nonexistence. In the scientific community it is required that there is ample data to prove a claim, but in the modern world “Gods” existence is based on faith or of forms of proof. So how do we know if he is real or not? Thomas Aquinas is a firm believer of the existence of a god; He argues for the proof of god by his five proofs. For motion to take place, something must have caused it to move, every effect has a cause, Something that doesn’t exist cannot make something come into existence, a standard of living, and all beings considered unintelligent half to be led some something. For his first “proof of God” Aquinas argues that any motion that takes place requires something to cause it to move. For example a ball won’t move, unless a slope causes it to roll down a hill, or a child kicks it. So the ball always had the potential to move, but its potential cannot be reached unless something acts upon it. By this theory something had to start the movement of the universe, which the only first mover could be God. In his second proof Cause and effect is brought into play. It is very similar to his first proof in that nothing would happen unless something caused it to happen. And because an infinite series of cause and effect is irrational, there must be an original cause that requires no cause; Hence God. The third proof deals with being or not being. All things have the possibility of existing or not existing. The shirt that you are wearing now exists but there was a time when it did not. Aquinas’s argument is that for that something to go from not being to being, there had to be an original being to create it. For example the shirt that you wear had to be created in a factory; And to manufacture something you must “be”. So