Does God Exsist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Does God Exsist - Essay Example Aquinas' five reasons for the existence of God are: the principle of motion, efficient cause, possibility and necessity, gradation of things and finally the governance of the world. These principles are used to counter two earlier mentioned objections as to the existence of God. These objections question the probability of an all-good God allowing evil in the world and whether or not God is the true source of creation. The main argument for the existence of God is that the source of all in existence is best explained by an original source with no limits and that is God. This paper aims to examine both objections to and arguments for the existence of God by examining the five points presented by Aquinas and cross examining these points with Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilych and Anselm's Proslogion. After examining both sides of the issue the paper will determine how Aquinas successfully argues the existence of God. The main argument that Aquinas presents is clear: God exists. Aquinas argues this by first, outlining two objections to the existence of God. These objections will be discussed in more detail later. He then, counters these objections by outlining five reasons for God's existence. The first reason Aquinas g... hot, to be actually hot, and thereby moves and changes it." The wood has a potential to become hot; however it needs fire in order for it to actually become hot. Aquinas argues that there must be a first mover and that first mover is best understood as God. The second reason is concerned with causality. Aquinas argues that nothing can exist by itself nor can it cause itself. Something else must cause it. The third reason argues that everything has a potential to exist only if something else will cause it to exist. These things are necessary, just as a male and female are necessary to produce offspring. However there must be an original cause of these necessities. This ties in with Anselms,' Proslogion in which he ponders God's existence by considering an understanding of God's existence. He argues that if God exists only in one's mind than something greater than God could be conceived, however it can't. Thus Anselm states, "Hence there is no doubt that there exists a being, than which nothing greater can be conceived, and it exists both in the understanding and reality". Something must be the greatest and thus the source of all that can be conceived and that something is God. The fourth argues that everything has a position on a scale f rom worst to best, slowest to fastest and other such extremes. Everything has a maximum or perfection to be reached and so there must be an original source of perfection and this source is God. The fifth reason is that everything in the world that is unintelligent, such as plants, landforms, the ocean and the like all work towards a particular purpose. The ocean provides a home for marine life and the source of rain; plants clear the air and provide food and shelter for animals. If each of these things serves a purpose, then something