In his monumental works, Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles, Aquinas offered a total of five proofs of God's existence. The first two proofs begin with an observation about the physical universe. They are called a kind of cosmological argument because they result from a study of the cosmos. Much of Aquinas version of the cosmological argument was borrowed from Aristotle. Aquinas's cosmological argument consists of his first 2 of the 5 proofs for God's existence, or the "Five Ways". His first two ways are two proofs based on logic and observation of nature in proving God's existence to those who could not accept or believe God on faith alone.

Aquinas' first way is based on motion. He calls it the most obvious way. This first argument, the Argument from Motion, tries to prove the existence of God as the first mover which is unmoved. Now, it is certain as a matter of sense-observation that some things in this world are in motion. Whatever is in motion, Aquinas states, is moved by something else. So, it is impossible that in the same respect and same manner anything should be both mover and m

What are the main ideas in Aquinas' first two ways? Basically, I perceive that his arguments are equivalent to the proposition, "There is no thing that came from nothing." The first argument is about motion, which means every kind of change, not just local motion or change of place, but also ripening, heating, etc. There must always be a cause for any change, a "moving" cause. The second argument is very similar, about "efficient" causes. The difference between a "moving" cause and an "efficient" cause is that the moving cause produces another state of something while the efficient cause produces existence. Therefore, it is my view that without a moving cause and an efficient cause there would simply be "nothing" and the universe and concept of time would cease to exist. On that account, Aquinas' first two ways seem to present a successful argument for the existence of the creator God. Nonetheless, as with all arguments attempting to prove the existence of God, Aquinas' first two ways are subjected to possible criticisms, objections and/or weak points. But that is another essay.

Aquinas' second way in proving God's existence is based on the nature of efficient causation.

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