Paper Topic:

Theology

A Proof for God 's Existence : Analysis and Criticism

Thomas Aquinas ' third proof of God 's existence , commonly known as the argument of contingency focuses on the state of physical being- that is that anything tangible in the universe can either exist or not exist Aquinas argues that the only exception to this rule is God , and goes about proving it in the following manner

If everything had the potential to not exist , then there would eventually come to be a time when nothing existed at all . If this came to pass

, then all existence would end because things cannot come into existence out of nothing . Based on this postulate , there must be some necessity ' in existence that is eternal , and that necessity is God In regards to the beginning of existence as we know it , there must have at once been a time at which only this necessity of God existed- if the world had a beginning in time it is obvious that there is a God (Martin 158 ) as something cannot come from nothing

The paradox that arises in this proof results when one tries to determine the existence of intangible beings that are not God . Ie Angels and other divine beings . Aquinas makes the distinction that in the case of the angels , which are dependent on the divine causality in to exist ( Saint Thomas Aquinas , existence must instead be defined as essence . That is , they are perfect in their own nature and exist as an essence that is restricted by the laws of existence

The one flaw , perhaps , in Aquinas ' proof is that it doesn 't factor in the unpredictability of our universe 's future . One must consider the possibility that there is the potential for all things , including God to cease to exist- in which case this proof would be disproven

Works Cited

Martin , Christopher JF . Thomas Aquinas : God and Explanations , Edinburgh Edinburgh

University Press , 1997

McInerny , Ralph . Saint Thomas Aquinas (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy . 9 January

2005 . Metaphysics Research Lab , Stanford University . 3 April 2007

http /plato .stanford .edu /entries /aquinas...

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