Thomas Aquinas' Quinque Viae

Question 1

What is the argument of movement or change/motion?

Answer 1

• all movements are caused by a mover
• there cannot be an infinite regress of movers and changers
• there must be a Prime Mover, Unmoved Mover
• this being is God

Question 2

What is the argument of cause and effect (stimulus and response)?

Answer 2

• all effects are due to a cause
• there cannot be an infinite regress of cause and effect
• there must have been a First Cause, Uncaused Cause
• this being is God

Question 3

What is the argument of contingency and necessity?

Answer 3

• all living things are contingent (dependent) on something else for its existence
• there cannot be an infinite regress of sources of existence
• there must have been a Necessary Being, Existence Itself
• this being is God

Question 4

What is a contingent being?

Answer 4

• a being to which existence was given

- dependent on something else for its existence

Question 5

What is a Necessary Being?

Answer 5

• did not need to be given existence in order to exist
• not dependent on anything else for its existence
• Existence Itself

Question 6

What does Quinque Viae mean?

Answer 6

Five Ways

Question 7

What is the argument of degrees of perfection?

Answer 7

• goodness (being humane, right, caring, and loving) is a quality
• to have varying degrees of desirable qualities, particular beauty, goodness, and truth, is only possible if there is a standard/model that is perfect
• that Standard of Perfection, the Ultimate Good, is God

Question 8

What is the argument of design?

Answer 8

• non-intelligent/non-thinking things function a certain way that comprise systems that achieve a certain end/purpose
• it can only be possible if there was a Grand Designer
• that Grand Designer is God

Question 9

What are all the titles of God given in the Quinqae Viae?

Answer 9

Prime Mover, Unmoved Mover, First Cause, Uncaused Cause, Necessary Being, Existence Itself, Standard of Perfection, the Ultimate Good, Grand Designer, Giver of Existence

Question 10

What does Saint Thomas Aquinas emphasize?

Answer 10

All that are in existence (moved/caused/given existence) are kept in existence by the First Mover/Cause/Giver of Existence