Unit 3: Aquinas' 5 Cosmological Arguments

Argument of Motion

If something is in motion, something else must have put it in motion. The chain continues on. Something in motion being moved by something else, which is moved by something else.

It arrives at the idea of an unmoved mover. This is the original mover that can move without being moved by something else. The unmoved mover is God. 

ex. A ball rolling. A hand has pushed the ball which causes it to roll. The hand is moved by our brain.

Argument of Efficient Cause

Aristotle states everything has an efficient cause because objects do not just appear into the universe on its own. 

There must be something that causes things to exist, since nothing can cause itself to exist. The efficient cause is something that shapes or creates another thing. There is a first cause that caused everything else after. The first cause is God.

Argument of Necessity and Possibility

Some things exist but they do not have to. They are referred to as possible beings because it is possible for them to exist, or to not. If something can exist, as well as not exist, something must cause this. If everything in the universe is a possible being, it is possible there was once a time where nothing existed at all. However, if there was nothing, then nothing could have started existing because something cannot create itself. Thus, there is a necessary being that has always existed and caused everything else to exist after. That necessary being is God.

Argument of Graduation

There are always superior and inferior things. Something is the most superior. That thing is God.

Argument of Governance of the World

There are intelligent and non-intelligent things. Non-intelligent things move because something moves it. Things in nature move because they are designed to do so. The designer is God.