A Review of The Existence of God by Saint Thomas Aquinas
Introduction to Philosophy
The Existence of God by Saint Thomas Aquinas Saint Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican monk and priest and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian. He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology, and his influence of Western thought is quite considerable. He is very well known for his discussion of the relationship between faith and reason, as well as his development of proofs for the existence of God. In the short article, The Existence of God, Saint Thomas Aquinas counters objections to the belief that God could exist, and offers five solid points as proof of the reality of His existence. The article begins with the consideration that simply understanding the meaning of the word “God,” which is defined here as “that than which nothing greater can be meant,” would lead to belief in His existence. The reason being that because He exists in though, He must also exist in fact. The reply to this statement includes the question that nothing defined by the word “God” would have to exist in the world of fact, but only as something thought about. According to the reply, the essence of the definition of the word “God” is not sufficient proof that God exists. The next objection that is brought to the table discusses the impossibility of a pair of infinite contraries. When using the word “God,” the implication is “something infinitely good.” It is obvious that there are bad things in the world, and if God really did exist, nothing would be bad. The second objection points out that original causes can be accounted for based on the supposition that God does not exist. For example, nature can be considered the original cause of natural things, and human reason and will can be accredited for the original cause of purposeful acts. With these things in mind, there is no reason to say that God exists. Saint Thomas Aquinas responds to these issues with five different ways to prove that God exists. Saint Thomas
The Existence of God by Saint Thomas Aquinas Saint Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican monk and priest and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian. He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology, and his influence of Western thought is quite considerable. He is very well known for his discussion of the relationship between faith and reason, as well as his development of proofs for the existence of God. In the short article, The Existence of God, Saint Thomas Aquinas counters objections to the belief that God could exist, and offers five solid points as proof of the reality of His existence. The article begins with the consideration that simply understanding the meaning of the word “God,” which is defined here as “that than which nothing greater can be meant,” would lead to belief in His existence. The reason being that because He exists in though, He must also exist in fact. The reply to this statement includes the question that nothing defined by the word “God” would have to exist in the world of fact, but only as something thought about. According to the reply, the essence of the definition of the word “God” is not sufficient proof that God exists. The next objection that is brought to the table discusses the impossibility of a pair of infinite contraries. When using the word “God,” the implication is “something infinitely good.” It is obvious that there are bad things in the world, and if God really did exist, nothing would be bad. The second objection points out that original causes can be accounted for based on the supposition that God does not exist. For example, nature can be considered the original cause of natural things, and human reason and will can be accredited for the original cause of purposeful acts. With these things in mind, there is no reason to say that God exists. Saint Thomas Aquinas responds to these issues with five different ways to prove that God exists. Saint Thomas