Aquinas second argument

A detailed Summary of Aquinas second argument


Aquinas' second argument, the first cause, is trying to provide a rational proof for the existence of god. To construct his argument Aquinas is setting a group of premises that, in his opinion, irrefutably point to one valid solution, the intervention of a god like being in the creation of the universe.

The first of these premises is the perpetual motion argument. Just as a machine can not be built to power it self indefinitely, nothing can be the cause of itself. In other words, by law of nature (that sits well with reason) no effect can cause the exact same effect. The result of this premise is that there has to be a chain of cause and effect, a very long one.

Aquinas' second premise is that this chain can not go back for with on starting point. In his opinion, that would be equivalent to not having an engine to power this phenomenon. A very long series of cause and effect has to start with one centralistic cause that marked the beginning of all reactions.

Under these two main premises, in Aquinas's opinion, god has to exist to make the first effort in the creation of t


In trying to appeal to the rational, Aquinas fails to address several issues that would make his theory invulnerable, and as such the irrefutable truth. One objection that rose was the multiple series objection. Why can't there be more then one series of cause and effect with more than one point of origin? This objection allows Aquinas the stretch on his first premise, that nothing can cause itself, but does not except that there must be one series. There is no rational explanation in Aquinas' argument that would rule out that possibility.

The Aquinas reason also does not consider multiple causes for one effect. If a road is wet, would the only reason be that it rained? No the effect can not be evidence for the cause, not conclusively. Aquinas is basing his rational argument on a known fallacious reason process of affirming the consequence. There for I conclude, to my opinion, that Aquinas, and his supporters are over explaining their position, and that they, given the fallacious reason process, have failed to rationally prove the existence of god.

Some common words found in the essay are:
, cause effect, aquinas supporters, efficient causes, series cause effect, chain cause effect, chain cause, fallacious reason process, nature observations, fallacious reason, premise chain, reason process, series cause, creation universe,

Approximate Word count = 730
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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