Aquinas' 'Summa Theologica'

Paper Summary:

A unique case in the history of philosophy/theology is that of Saint Thomas Aquinas, who was both a theologian and philosopher. Aquinas is distinct from other theologians in that his 'Summa Theologica' he asks questions appropriate to philosophy, rather than concentrating on exegesis. This paper shows that in his 'Summa Theologica', Aquinas asks why an infinite being must exist and he demonstrates this existence of a God through a logical evaluation of the natural world, without resorting to exegesis or faith to prove it. The paper shows that while it was surely difficult for Aquinas to maintain a purely philosophical stance in pursuing the question of God's existence, because of his theological stake in the topic at hand, he managed to do so. His first four arguments in 'Summa Theologica' are generally strong, with the third one being of superior persuasion. Nevertheless, Aquinas' theological interest in demonstrating God's existence becomes apparent in his fifth argument, which rests on a premise of questionable truth.

From the Paper:

"Theologians and philosophers have long been interested in the question of God's existence. Though their methods of argumentation may not always differ substantially, they hold distinct interests in the question and proceed from different first principles in examining it. Theologians take for granted that a God does exist and that it is only a matter of proving it. They seek to demonstrate the existence of a religious God and as such, often appeal to evidence from purported divine revelations in doing so. Philosophers, on the other hand, want to arrive at a true understanding the world, part of which includes questioning the existence of a supreme metaphysical being, namely God. In short, theologians are motivated to demonstrate that a religious God does exist and often want to use that demonstration as the foundation for pursuing other religious questions. Philosophers, on the other hand, simply want to consider the question, arrive at an answer through reason and meditate on its implications. They strive to ultimately arrive at the truth of whether a supreme being exists with no preferential answer to that question and no further goal."

More papers on Aquinas' 'Summa Theologica':

• Analytical Essay # 57498 : "Aquinas and the Existence of God"
• Term Paper # 113824 : "Saint Thomas Aquinas and God"
• Essay # 57937 : "Luther vs. Aquinas on Grace and Justification"

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