Thomas Aquinas Discussion
Humanities
Can you answer and explain the fourth way to prove the existence of God this questions based Aquinas reading which attached blow?
1.What might be the point of advancing a rational argument (a demonstration) for the existence of God? Who are such arguments for? Who do they convince? What is the relationship, according to Aquinas, between understanding (reason, rational proof) and faith (belief)?
2. Why, according to Aquinas, isn’t the existence of God self-evident (page 3-4)?
3. Do you think “Anselm’s Ontological Argument” (page 8) is a good argument? Why or why not? What does Aquinas think?
4. With respect to the question “Whether God Exists?” (page 5), ‘Objection 1’ states an objection that is sometimes raised against the existence of God. Explain why the existence of evil might be used as evidence against the existence of God (as defined by Christianity). Explain Aquinas’ response to this argument (Reply to Objection 1, page 7). Do you find his reply to be satisfactory (is it a good argument)?
5. With respect to the question “Whether God Exists?” (page 5), explain the argument that ‘Objection 2’ raises against the existence of God. Explain Aquinas’ response to this argument (Reply to Objection 2, page 7). Do you find his reply to be satisfactory (is it a good argument)?
The fourth way is taken from the gradation to be found in things. Among beings there are some more and some less good, true, noble and the like. But “more” and “less” are predicated of different things, according as they resemble in their different ways something which is the maximum, as a thing is said to be hotter according as it more nearly resemblesthat which is hottest; so that there is something which is truest, something best, something noblest and, consequently, something which is uttermost being; for those things that are greatest in truth are greatest in being, as it is written in Metaph. ii. Now the maximum in any genus is the cause of all in that genus; as fire, which is the maximum heat, is the cause of all hot things. Therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; and this we call God. The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things
