Year: 1996
Type: article
Abstract: My title refers to the second of the arguments for the existence of God commonly called Aquinas's "Five Ways."The argument reads as follows:The second way is from the notion of efficient cause.We find among observable things an order of efficient causes.We do not find, nor is it possible, that something is an efficient cause of itself; for such a thing would be prior to itself, which is impossible.Now it is not possible to proceed to infinity in efficient causes.The reason is that in all ordered efficient causes, the first is the cause of the intermediate, and the intermediate is the cause of the last, whether the intermediates are many or only one.But remove the cause, and the effect is removed; therefore, if there is no first in efficient causes, neither will there be a last nor an intermediate.But if there is a procession to infinity in efficient causes, there will be no first efficient cause.And thus there will be no last effect and no intermediate causes, which is obviously false.Therefore it is necessary to posit some first efficient cause, which all call God.(ST I, 2, 3)l
Source: Medieval Philosophy and Theology
Author: Richard L. Cartwright
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2765378156