PHI 215 Philosophical Issues
Question Set 9 - Aquinas' Arguments for the Existence of God
Based on ANSELM AND AQUINAS ON GOD'S EXISTENCE
25 points
 1.  Why does Aquinas think that "God's existence, though not self-evident to us, can be demonstrated through his effects"?
 
 
 
 
 
 
  2.  According to Aquinas, since God's existence is a matter of faith, how can a philosophical proof have any value whatever?
 
 
 
 
 
 
  3.  According to Aquinas, what are the atheist's two evidences that God does not exist? (See Article 3 in ANSELM AND AQUINAS ON GOD'S EXISTENCE.) Are these arguments we might expect to hear today? (See Quentin Smith's article: Two Ways to Prove Atheism.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
  4.  Briefly state Aquinas' five proofs for the existence of God.

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3. 
 
 
4. 
 
 
5. 
 
  5.  Can they be reduced to one fundamental idea? If so, what is it?