Studied by 15 people
In what ways did Aquinas agree with the Via Negativa?
The fact that humans are fundamentally unable to know God
How did Aquinas say that we could talk about God positively ?
If we speak analogically
What does Univocal mean?
Words which only have one meaning
why can we not use univocal language to speak of God?
We cant apply the same word to God as we do for humans because God is transcendent
What does Equivocal mean?
Words which have different meanings
Why does using equivocal language fail when speaking of God?
We cannot understand God so we wouldn’t know what the word means when applied to God- would be meaningless
What is the “middle ground” for aquinas?
We are like God- we are made in Gods imagine and likeness- we are analogous to God
What does the Analogy of Attribution argue ?
That we can attribute qualities to the creator of a thing that are are analogous to those of its creation
What example does Aquinas use to demonstrate the analogy of attribution ?
Bulls urine- If the urine of a bull is healthy we can conclude the bull has an analogous quality of health
What does Analogy of Proportion argue ?
The analogy of proportion argues that a being has a quality in a degree relative to its being- God is the greatest being and has qualities to a greater degree of proportion than humans. Gods love/power/knowledge is like ours but proportionally greater
what does analogical language respect ?
Gods transcendence
What is an issue with God having qualities that are analogous to ours ?
Humans are not perfect and have qualities such as greed and hatred- following aquinas argument God would have these qualities too
How can you argue against the weakness that God must also have bad qualities since humans do to?
The original sin corrupted human nature and caused bad human qualities— analogy only refers to human qualities we had when God first created us in his likeness
What is Aquinas’ theory of analogy based on?
Natural theology which makes us use human reason to gain knowledge about God
What knowledge does Aquinas say human reason can gain?
lesser knowledge of God
What can natural theology support according to Aquinas?
Faith
Who would critique Aquinas’ use of reason and natural theology ?
Karl Barth and Augustine
What did Karl Barth/Augustine claim corrupted our reason?
The original sin
What does Barth call anything that is discovered through reason in relation to God?
Whatever humans discover through reason is not divine
What can idolatry lead to according to Barth?
Worship of nations and movements like the Nazis
What “three goods” did human nature contain pre fall according to Aquinas?
Properties of human soul (eg. Rationality)
Inclination towards the good
Original Justice- perfect rational control over the soul
What did the original sin completely destroy according to Aquinas?
original justice- no longer have complete control over our desires
What can sometimes be natural for humans?
Concupiscence
How does Aquinas say the original sin can diminish our inclination towards the good?
By creating a habit of acting against it
How can Aquinas be seen to have a balanced and realistic view?
By acknowledging that our nature contains both good and bad and we choose to act rightly
what has humanity’s belief that it has the ability to know anything of God led to?
The same arrogance that led Adam and Eve to disobey God
What has the belief that humans have the power to figure out what is right/wrong led to?
Movements such as the Nazis
what does Aquinas successfully find a middle way between?
Univocal language and Equivocal language
what do humans not have which is required analogy to be meaningful?
The required knowledge for analogies to be meaningful
How does aquinas believe that analogy is justified ?
through the analogy of attribution (depends on the approach of natural theology being valid)
What type of language does Aquinas defend?
cognitive religious language
What are Christian’s unlikely to think of religious language as ?
Analogically
What are the three main criticisms for Analogy?
May attribute bad qualities to God
Reliance on reason
Lack of knowledge to know whether analogy is accurate
What are the 3 main strengths of analogy ?
doesn’t anthropomorphise God
based on natural theology- supports faithMiddle way between Univocal and equivocal language
Middle way between Univocal language and Equivocal language
What does Vincent Brummer argue on the analogy of proportion?
we are making assumptions which we lack the necessary knowledge to make
What does Brummer say we dont have the ability to do in relation or analogy of attribution?
We have no ability to determine what we might attribute to God if he is unknown to us
What is Ian Ramsey’s disclosure situation?
an event which revels something beyond the bare facts of the case
what does Frederick Ferre say we need to concentrate on ?
How words need to be used carefully
What does frederick’s approach remind us of?
Analogy tells us what words about God do, how they function in our language without pretending that we have understood their full meaning
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