Aquinas’ Five Ways

1. The argument from motion

2. The argument from causation

 Together, these two are referred to as the

cosmological arguments
 From the Greek word cosmos, which
means beautiful order
Aristotle: Potentiality and actuality

 God as Pure Actuality, Prime Mover,

and First Cause
Aquinas’ Five Ways
3. The argument from necessity
- Necessary vs. contingent beings
Aquinas’ Five Ways
4. The argument from gradation
Aristotle: The hierarchy of souls

The rational soul

The sentient soul

The vegetative soul

Aquinas’ Five Ways
5. The argument from design (the teleological argument)
- Cf. William Paley: The watch and the watchmaker
Aristotle: The hylemorphic doctrine

 For Aristotle, form (hyle) and matter (morph) are inseparable. Cf. Plato’s
Theory of Forms
 The form is inherent in matter; it is the idea or “spirit” that serves as matter’s
basic blueprint or design
The problem of evil
If God is all-powerful, He can prevent evil.
If God is all-good, He will want to prevent evil.
(If God can and will prevent evil, evil will not
exist.)
Evil exists.
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Therefore, God is not both powerful and good.