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What are Thomas Aquinasâs Five Ways of arguing for Godâs existence?
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Philosophy of religion
Detail of Religion, mural in lunette from the Family and Education series by Charles Sprague Pearce, 1897; in the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.
In the philosophy of religion, St. Thomas Aquinas proposed the Five Ways in his Summa Theologica as demonstrations of Godâs existence through natural theology.1
- Argument from Motion: Based on Aristotle, this posits that everything in motion is moved by another. To avoid an infinite regress, there must be a prime mover that is not itself moved, which is God.12
- Argument from Causation: Every event has an efficient cause. Since an infinite chain of causes is impossible, there must be a first cause that is uncaused, identified as God.12
- Argument from Contingency: Because natural beings are capable of not existing, there must be a necessary being that exists of itself, rather than being caused by another, to prevent a state where nothing exists.12
- Argument from Degrees of Perfection: Things exhibit varying degrees of perfection; therefore, there must exist a supreme, absolute perfection that serves as the standard for all others.1
- Argument from Final Causes: Natural bodies lacking intelligence act toward an end or purpose. They must be guided by an intelligent being, which is God.1