To asses the strengths of the Ontological Argument for Gods existence‚ we firstly need to understand what it entails. The Ontological Argument looks at proof ’A Priori’‚ which is Analytical truth‚ reason based proof. This can be explained by saying 1+1=2. We know this to be true‚ as it is based on reasoning‚ and is a logical statement. This can be seen as a strength of the Ontological Argument‚ the fact that it is logical and rational. It deals with knowledge gained independently of experience‚ innate
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In this post‚ I will discuss the viewpoint of the critics who believe that the doctrine of the Trinity supports polytheism. According to McGrath‚ in the early part of the nineteenth century‚ Thomas Jefferson was one of the first leading critics to speak against the doctrine of the Trinity. Jefferson referred to the doctrine as “metaphysical insanities (McGrath‚ 299).” He argued that these metaphysical insanities “hindered the religious growth of humanity‚ in that they represented relapses into polytheism
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Aquinas on Law Aquinas talks about general law. Aquinas has definition of general law: “nothing other than a certain dictate of reason (rationis ordinatio) for the common good‚ made by him who has the care of the community and promulgated." According to Aquinas‚ the law is based on a reason. The purpose of a proper function of the law is to promote common good given out by the person who has a leadership. He talks about four types of law. These laws are eternal law‚ divine law ‚ natural
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Christian point of view. Everyone has their own specifics for the way they think that the world was made. Thomas Aquinas‚ John Calvin and Charles Taze Russell all were very devout Christians‚ who were well recognized when they were alive. They all also came from the same beliefs‚ all having different life experiences. They got their knowledge by God. The three of them were able to talk to God and write down what they thought He was saying to them. This was in hope to help everyone understand the
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Meditations on First Philosophy‚ Rene Descartes introduces three principal arguments for God’s existence. His first argument will be examined in the most detail‚ and the last two will be briefly outlined and compared to the first in the following analysis. Descartes introduces his first proof in Meditation III‚ where he uses the ideas of formal and objective reality to make his argument. To arrive at his conclusion that God exists‚ he begins with the notion of ideas‚ and whether they correspond to
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St. Thomas Aquinas takes many of Aristotle ’s ideas from The Politics in order to create his idea of the best regime. He revisits the good and bad forms of each type of government Aristotle introduced‚ and then makes his decision that the best regime is a type of monarchy that he calls kingship. This decision stems from his definition of a king as "one who rules over the people of a city or province for the common good" (17). Kingship is beneficial because it is the rule of one person. Aquinas states
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The question of “Does God exist‚” is a question that many people have tried to answer throughout many centuries. Although the answer to whether He exist or not is unsolved and most likely never will be solved‚ the answer to whether we can prove that he exists is a relatively easy one to answer. The answer is simply‚ no. We cannot prove whether He exist‚ but on the other hand no scientist or philosopher has ever been able to prove that He does not exist. Although the answer is quite simple‚ we can
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Aquinas on Conscience For Aquinas‚ conscience is the act of applying our knowledge of good and evil to what we do (or might do). So in order to (naturally) know what is a good action or bad one‚ one needs to understand how things are naturally ordered by God -- primarily what human nature is and what things it needs and deserves. This order which dictates what is good or evil behaviour is called the Natural Law by Aquinas. God can and does also supernaturally reveal what is and is not in accordance
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Essay #1: Aquinas’ 3rd Way: Aquinas’ third way argument states that there has to be something that must exist‚ which is most likely God. He starts his argument by saying not everything must exist‚ because things are born and die every single day. By stating this we can jump to the conclusion that if everything need not exist then there would have been a time where there was nothing. But‚ he goes on‚ if there was a time when there was nothing‚ then nothing would exist even today‚ because something
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‘The design arguments prove God’s existence’. Assess this view. (30 marks) Design arguments‚ also sometimes known as teleological arguments‚ from the Greek ‘Telos’ for goal and ‘Logos’‚ meaning reason‚ hence reasoning for a goal or purpose and that purpose being God’s existence. These arguments endeavour to ascertain God’s existence‚ by inferring from evidence of design and purpose in the universe‚ and claim that there must have been a designer of this. Design arguments start from experience
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