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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 6 page paper that discusses whether or not Aquinas successfully argued for the existence of man's autonomy and freedom. The essay discusses mostly Proof Three, Questions 3, 14 and 19. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Page Count:
6 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MM12_PGaqfrd.RTF
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
to the nature of God? The second question is: If God is Eternal, Immutable, and Infinite (Pure Act), is it possible for God (defined as such) to be the creator
and provident redeemer of a world in which there is true contingency, especially human freedom? The answer to both questions is yes although it is difficult to wade through Aquinas
thinking process to arrive at definite conclusions. His approach was to divide the Summa into four major Parts, each of which is divided into Treatises, each of those is further
divided into numbered questions, which are general questions about the issue in the Treatise. Those questions are further divided into numbered Articles, each Article can only be answered with a
yes or a no. These include Objections that could prove the Treatise wrong and finally, Aquinas offers the proof that leads to the correctness of the answer and the errors
of the objections. It is no wonder even the most brilliant scholars find the Summa mind-boggling. Aquinas offers five proofs for the existence of God, the first has to
do with the fact Gods existence is self-evident. By this, he means, it is self-evident to God but not necessarily to us. We need material proofs. He engages a priori
and a posterior arguments here, there is a priori knowledge of Gods existence but that knowledge is beyond human understanding. In Question 3, Article 4, Aquinas says: "Therefore I say
that this proposition, "God exists," of itself is self-evident, for the predicate is the same as the subject, because God is His own existence as will be hereafter shown." Aquinas
also argues that only God knows His own Essence and that His essence is His being. We, as humans only gain knowledge of this through demonstrations, through a posteriori knowledge,
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