Aquinas & the Cosmological Arguments: Crash Course Philosophy #10

CrashCourse・2 minutes read

Anselm created the ontological argument for God's existence, but Aquinas later developed five cosmological arguments to prove the existence of God, critiqued for not specifying a particular god and potentially being self-defeating. Engaging with these arguments and offering counterarguments is crucial for exploring the existence of God in the philosophical realm.

Insights

  • Anselm of Canterbury developed the ontological argument for God's existence, while Thomas Aquinas crafted the cosmological arguments, emphasizing the necessity of a First Cause, Necessary Being, and Perfect Being to demonstrate God's existence through logical reasoning.
  • Aquinas' arguments, though influential, have faced criticism for not explicitly pointing to a singular god or excluding polytheism, illustrating the complexity and ongoing debate within philosophical discourse regarding the nature and proofs of God's existence.

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Recent questions

  • Who developed the ontological argument?

    Anselm

  • What are Aquinas' cosmological arguments?

    Five arguments

  • What is the Argument from Motion?

    Everything in motion needs a mover

  • What is the Argument from Contingency?

    Distinguishes between necessary and contingent beings

  • What criticisms have philosophers raised about Aquinas' arguments?

    Do not establish a specific god or rule out polytheism

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Summary

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Aquinas' Cosmological Arguments for God's Existence

  • Anselm of Canterbury in the 11th century developed the ontological argument, claiming to have a deductive proof of God's existence.
  • Thomas Aquinas, an Italian theologian and philosopher, encountered Anselm's argument almost 200 years later but did not believe in it, leading him to construct five arguments to prove God's existence.
  • Aquinas' first four arguments are known as the cosmological arguments, seeking to prove God's existence through necessary facts about the universe.
  • The first cosmological argument, the Argument from Motion, posits that everything in motion must have been set into motion by something else, ultimately leading to the existence of an Unmoved Mover, which Aquinas identifies as God.
  • The second cosmological argument, the Argument from Causation, explains causes and effects in the universe, emphasizing the need for a First Thing to start the chain of causes and effects, which Aquinas identifies as God.
  • The third cosmological argument, the Argument from Contingency, distinguishes between necessary and contingent beings, asserting the necessity of at least one necessary being, which Aquinas identifies as God.
  • The fourth cosmological argument, the Argument from Degrees, argues that there must be a perfect being to define the value of everything else, which Aquinas identifies as God.
  • Philosophers have critiqued Aquinas' arguments, noting they do not establish the existence of a specific god or rule out polytheism, and some argue that the arguments are self-defeating.
  • Engaging with Aquinas' arguments and offering counterarguments is essential in the philosophical dialectic, allowing for the exploration of arguments about significant matters like the existence of God.
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