17 min
Ep1. Thomas Aquinas Argument from Change Reasonable Faith
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- Religion
Things are constantly moving and changing; but why, what does it mean, and who is causing it.
Thomas Aquinas penned the five ways, “the first way” discusses that nothing can happen without a cause.
Here is the full argument:
1. All bodies are either potentially in motion or actually in motion.
2. "But nothing can be reduced from potentiality to actuality, except by something in a state of actuality"
3. Nothing can be at once in both actuality and potentiality in the same respect.
4. Therefore nothing can be at once in both actuality and potentiality with respect to motion
5. Therefore nothing can move itself; it must be put into motion by something else.
6. If there were no "first mover, moved by no other" there would be no motion.
7. But there is motion.
8. Therefore there is a first mover, God
To explore this topic I did some footwork, I spoke to friends, professors, and of course, my Dad.
First, I spoke to Zoe Rodgers, my RA, about what change is. I asked her to explain the concept, give me examples, and asked her opinion on different kinds of change. But the argument from change doesn't seem to only mean the casual definition.
Dr. James T. Turner, a philosophy professor at Anderson University, spoke with me about this idea. He walked me through Aquinas’s argument and helped me understand what he meant by change and motion.
Finally, I spoke to my dad, Dr. Ethan Brown, to make sure I completely understood this argument. He had recommended I look at this argument, and now I know why.
This argument has reaffirmed my belief in the necessity of a God. If this argument helped you too, let me know by leaving a 5-star review and share it with a friend you think needs to hear this podcast!
Things are constantly moving and changing; but why, what does it mean, and who is causing it.
Thomas Aquinas penned the five ways, “the first way” discusses that nothing can happen without a cause.
Here is the full argument:
1. All bodies are either potentially in motion or actually in motion.
2. "But nothing can be reduced from potentiality to actuality, except by something in a state of actuality"
3. Nothing can be at once in both actuality and potentiality in the same respect.
4. Therefore nothing can be at once in both actuality and potentiality with respect to motion
5. Therefore nothing can move itself; it must be put into motion by something else.
6. If there were no "first mover, moved by no other" there would be no motion.
7. But there is motion.
8. Therefore there is a first mover, God
To explore this topic I did some footwork, I spoke to friends, professors, and of course, my Dad.
First, I spoke to Zoe Rodgers, my RA, about what change is. I asked her to explain the concept, give me examples, and asked her opinion on different kinds of change. But the argument from change doesn't seem to only mean the casual definition.
Dr. James T. Turner, a philosophy professor at Anderson University, spoke with me about this idea. He walked me through Aquinas’s argument and helped me understand what he meant by change and motion.
Finally, I spoke to my dad, Dr. Ethan Brown, to make sure I completely understood this argument. He had recommended I look at this argument, and now I know why.
This argument has reaffirmed my belief in the necessity of a God. If this argument helped you too, let me know by leaving a 5-star review and share it with a friend you think needs to hear this podcast!
17 min