“In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth” (King James Version Gen. 1.1). This well known verse of scripture has influenced countless lives and debates during its existence. Many theologians and philosophers have argued not only if the bible is true, but if there is an actual existence of God. Saint Thomas Aquinas was one such philosopher, and created 5 intriguing arguments for the existence of God. Each argument is compelling and interesting; however, it is only the first four that are known as the cosmological arguments. Although the fifth argument, the teleological argument, is worth reading, we will be giving the four cosmological arguments our attention. In this essay, not only will we will discuss the arguments from motion, causation, contingency, and degrees, but we will also discuss if they provide sufficient evidence for the existence of God. Aquinas starts off the first Argument from Motion with truth as he states, “It is certain, and evident to our senses, that in the world some things are in motion” (Solomon 139).
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Aquinas continued by saying that things in motion must have been started by other things in motion. For an example of this, think of dominos. One falling domino leads to the next one falling, and so on. This concludes the basic truth that one thing cannot start by itself. He said, “For motion is nothing else than the reduction of something from potentiality to actuality” (139). However, Aquinas claimed infinite regress, which is “a sequence of reasoning or justification which can never come to an end” (oxforddictionaries.com), was impossible. Meaning, the continual past thinking of something causing something else is illogical. There needed to be something to start it all, a First Mover, which in itself was unmoved. Aquinas, therefore, claimed this Unmoved Mover was God. Although the first argument was completed, it seemed Aquinas desired to make sure he proved the existence of God, since he continued into his second argument. The Argument of Causation generally deals with the cause and effect of actions. Aquinas talks about how every sensible thing is an efficient cause (139). This seems logical, seeing as the world is primarily built on a cause and effect pattern. If you hit your head against a wall, your head will hurt. This causes you to stop hitting your head against a wall, or this causes you to complain that your head somehow hurts. Once again, Aquinas has a strong dislike of infinite regress. He has said, “But if in efficient causes it is possible to go on to infinity, there will be no first efficient cause, neither will there be an ultimate effect, nor any intermediate efficient causes;…” (Solomon 140). The constant regression of causes or motions will ultimately lead to nothing, and this Aquinas says is impossible. With the impracticality of infinite regress, there must be a First Causer that must have been uncaused. This, Aquinas says, is God. Continuing on, let’s get a start on the third argument, which is one of my favorites. It is titled the Argument from Contingency. This argument deals with contingent things and necessary things. Contingent means “occurring or existing only if (certain other circumstances) are the case; dependent on:” (oxforddictionaries.com). This means that contingent things only occur because of something else. So, for an example of what a contingent thing is, look in the mirror. Yes, as hard as it sounds, we are all contingent things. The world will go on if we never existed. It may be different, but the world will still continue. Returning to the Argument of Contingency, there are contingent things, and these …show more content…
While the first three arguments relied heavily on the impracticality of infinite regress, the Argument from Degrees or Gradation takes a step away from the first three’s reasoning. The main premise of the fourth argument falls on what perfection is. In life, there is always something to look up too. There is the highest award you could achieve, or the noblest heroic act you could accomplish. Though, in order to achieve anything, we must be measured against or look for perfection. Since God is omnipotent, he the cause to all the perfect things. Therefore, God exists and is the perfection in the world that we are measured against and look up too. This last argument concludes Aquinas’s Cosmological
Aquinas continued by saying that things in motion must have been started by other things in motion. For an example of this, think of dominos. One falling domino leads to the next one falling, and so on. This concludes the basic truth that one thing cannot start by itself. He said, “For motion is nothing else than the reduction of something from potentiality to actuality” (139). However, Aquinas claimed infinite regress, which is “a sequence of reasoning or justification which can never come to an end” (oxforddictionaries.com), was impossible. Meaning, the continual past thinking of something causing something else is illogical. There needed to be something to start it all, a First Mover, which in itself was unmoved. Aquinas, therefore, claimed this Unmoved Mover was God. Although the first argument was completed, it seemed Aquinas desired to make sure he proved the existence of God, since he continued into his second argument. The Argument of Causation generally deals with the cause and effect of actions. Aquinas talks about how every sensible thing is an efficient cause (139). This seems logical, seeing as the world is primarily built on a cause and effect pattern. If you hit your head against a wall, your head will hurt. This causes you to stop hitting your head against a wall, or this causes you to complain that your head somehow hurts. Once again, Aquinas has a strong dislike of infinite regress. He has said, “But if in efficient causes it is possible to go on to infinity, there will be no first efficient cause, neither will there be an ultimate effect, nor any intermediate efficient causes;…” (Solomon 140). The constant regression of causes or motions will ultimately lead to nothing, and this Aquinas says is impossible. With the impracticality of infinite regress, there must be a First Causer that must have been uncaused. This, Aquinas says, is God. Continuing on, let’s get a start on the third argument, which is one of my favorites. It is titled the Argument from Contingency. This argument deals with contingent things and necessary things. Contingent means “occurring or existing only if (certain other circumstances) are the case; dependent on:” (oxforddictionaries.com). This means that contingent things only occur because of something else. So, for an example of what a contingent thing is, look in the mirror. Yes, as hard as it sounds, we are all contingent things. The world will go on if we never existed. It may be different, but the world will still continue. Returning to the Argument of Contingency, there are contingent things, and these …show more content…
While the first three arguments relied heavily on the impracticality of infinite regress, the Argument from Degrees or Gradation takes a step away from the first three’s reasoning. The main premise of the fourth argument falls on what perfection is. In life, there is always something to look up too. There is the highest award you could achieve, or the noblest heroic act you could accomplish. Though, in order to achieve anything, we must be measured against or look for perfection. Since God is omnipotent, he the cause to all the perfect things. Therefore, God exists and is the perfection in the world that we are measured against and look up too. This last argument concludes Aquinas’s Cosmological