Aquinas and Augustine
1. In what ways did Plato and Aristotle influence Augustine and Aquinas?
a. St. Augustine was taught philosophy by Bishop Ambrose who studied Platonism. St. Augustine was one of the first to bring together faith and reason. He revolutionized Plato's two world view and divided line. In the divided line he changed the good to god, said the forms are in gods mind, and that god is the only one who can make sensible objects possible. In the two world view St. Augustine said that not all activity is physical, there is also spiritual activity.
b. Aquinas was taught by Albert the Great. Albertus Magnus was the man that translated Aristotle's teachings into Latin. Aquinas sat out to prove the existence of god using his five proofs. Aquinas five proofs are: the proof of motion, proof of efficient cause, proof of contingency, proof from perfection, and proof from order. These proofs come from Aristotle's four causes of: material cause, formal cause, efficient cause, and final cause.
Aristotle's Four Causes Aquinas's Five Causes
Material Cause Proof of Perfection
Formal Cause Proof from Order
Efficient Cause Proof of Motion Proof of Efficient Cause
Final Cause Proof of Contingency
2. Pick any two of Aquinas' proofs for the existence of god, and show how he intended them to work, as well as how they fall short
a. Aquinas's proof of motion states two thing. First there is potential motion, this is where an object is at rest but has the possibility to move. Second, there is something that is moving. Aquinas says that if you look back infinitely, something had to make everything begin moving. Much like a set of dominoes waiting to knocked down. Until something forces the dominoes to fall they are at rest. Thus concluded, god must be the first cause. The only problem with this how do we know there is not eternal motion? We do in fact move ourselves without the help of supernatural forces.
b. Aquinas's proof of order states that there is universal order or
a. St. Augustine was taught philosophy by Bishop Ambrose who studied Platonism. St. Augustine was one of the first to bring together faith and reason. He revolutionized Plato's two world view and divided line. In the divided line he changed the good to god, said the forms are in gods mind, and that god is the only one who can make sensible objects possible. In the two world view St. Augustine said that not all activity is physical, there is also spiritual activity.
b. Aquinas was taught by Albert the Great. Albertus Magnus was the man that translated Aristotle's teachings into Latin. Aquinas sat out to prove the existence of god using his five proofs. Aquinas five proofs are: the proof of motion, proof of efficient cause, proof of contingency, proof from perfection, and proof from order. These proofs come from Aristotle's four causes of: material cause, formal cause, efficient cause, and final cause.
Aristotle's Four Causes Aquinas's Five Causes
Material Cause Proof of Perfection
Formal Cause Proof from Order
Efficient Cause Proof of Motion Proof of Efficient Cause
Final Cause Proof of Contingency
2. Pick any two of Aquinas' proofs for the existence of god, and show how he intended them to work, as well as how they fall short
a. Aquinas's proof of motion states two thing. First there is potential motion, this is where an object is at rest but has the possibility to move. Second, there is something that is moving. Aquinas says that if you look back infinitely, something had to make everything begin moving. Much like a set of dominoes waiting to knocked down. Until something forces the dominoes to fall they are at rest. Thus concluded, god must be the first cause. The only problem with this how do we know there is not eternal motion? We do in fact move ourselves without the help of supernatural forces.
b. Aquinas's proof of order states that there is universal order or