The Five Ways ST.Thomas Aquinas

Theories in regard to the ultimate cause of existence of the universe have been in dispute, and speculation by many of the greatest philosophers known to mankind. One of the most prominent debates to the causality of existence is the cosmological argument. Saint Thomas Aquinas conceptualizes five distinct ways in which God could exist. According to the text, the cosmological argument goes back to the ancient Greek philosophers. Particularly, Aristotle is mentioned in the text due to his argument about the existence of motion. Aristotle argued that the existence of motion was governed by a prime agent. However, the text further notes that Aristotle believed both the universe and motion were eternal. His theory intrigued Islamic theistic philosophers and theologians, but they were troubled by his theory of the universe as always eternal. Consequently, Jewish theologian Moses ben Maimon criticized both the Greek and Islamic version of the cosmological argument due to their assumptions that lacked proof. Now we arrive to Aquinas whose belief is analogous to Moses ben Maimon. Similar yet spereate to Aristotle's notion of motion, Aquinas asserts that a mover put in motion by no other is understood to be God(104). Prior to this assertion he discusses potentiality and actuality by contrasting the two. One significant point in the first of the five ways is that nothing can be reduced to a state of actuality from potentiality unless by something already in a state of actuality(104). Nothing moved can be mover or move itself. Aquinas concludes the first way by stating," whatever is in motion must be put in motion by another. If that by which it is put in motion be itself put in motion, then this also must needs be put in motion by another, and that by another again. This cannot go on to infinity, because then there would be no first mover....Therefore it is necessary to arrive a First Mover, put in motion by no other; and this everyone understands to be God." The second way is the formation of efficient causation. A form of induction is used when discussing the formality of efficient causes. According to Aquinas, " In efficient causes it is not possible to go on to infinity, because in all efficient causes following in order, the first is the cause of the intermidiate cause, and the intermediate is the cause of the ultimate cause, whether the intermediate but several, or only one. To take away the cause is to take away the effect"(104). He concludes that it is necessary to put forward an efficient cause which is named God since nothing can exist prior to itself. The third way follows by necessity. Something that could cease to exist must have one day not existed. Aquinas reiterates the existence of impossibilities of infinity by stating that necessary things  cannot go into infinity which have their necessity caused by another. A being that causes the necessity in others is spoken of as God. Way four is the state of qualities possessed in things or more precisely the gradation found in them. Some are more intelligent, virtuous, or noble. According to Aquinas this is the resemblance of the degree of the most. Aquinas uses the example of fire and names it "the most  complete form of heat whereby all things are made hot.Therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; and this we call God"(105). The final way is the governance of the world. A being possessing ultimate power and  knowledge directs whatever lacks that uttermost resemblance of perfection. According to Aquinas he concludes that natural things are ordained towards a definite purpose by the being we call God. Cosmological arguments are very complex, and sometimes require us to postulate assumptions about the existence of the universe. The Five Ways do so in an attempt to prove the existence of God. We know one of two things and that is there was a cause and an effect. The real concern is the explanation.