Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part One)

What It Covers

The Partially Examined Life examines Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, focusing on his arguments for God's existence, the ontological versus cosmological approaches, negative theology, and how humans can know divine reality through effects rather than essence.

Key Questions Answered

• •Ontological Argument Rejection: Aquinas refutes Anselm's claim that God's existence is self-evident from definition alone. He argues that defining God as "that which nothing greater can be thought" requires proving something exists before drawing conclusions from its definition, avoiding circular reasoning.
• •Cosmological Proof Method: God's existence can be demonstrated through observable effects in nature, similar to scientific reasoning from phenomena to underlying causes. This approach accepts imperfect knowledge of God rather than demanding complete comprehension before affirming existence, making proof accessible through empirical observation.
• •Incommensurability Problem: The objection that finite effects cannot reveal an infinite cause parallels mathematical incommensurability between rational and irrational numbers. Aquinas resolves this by distinguishing between proving existence versus achieving comprehensive knowledge, arguing effects suffice for the former without requiring the latter.
• •Self-Evident Truth Distinction: While general truth is self-evident through the law of non-contradiction, the existence of a first truth or ultimate cause is not. Humans possess an implicit awareness of God through the universal desire for happiness, but rational investigation remains necessary to move from phenomenon to essence.