St Thomas Five Proofs

What does St. Thomas Aquinas' First Way, the Unmoved Mover, imply?

• All motion is self-initiated.

• Motion does not exist.

• Objects can spontaneously generate motion.

• Everything in motion was set in motion by something else.

Answer explanation

Everything in motion was set in motion by something else.

According to the Second Way, the First Cause, what is the nature of existence?

• Existence is an illusion.

• Things exist without any cause.

• Randomness is the cause of existence.

• Everything that exists was caused by something else.

Answer explanation

According to the Second Way, the First Cause, the nature of existence is that everything that exists was caused by something else.

What does the Third Way, Contingency or Necessary Being, suggest about existence?

• Nothing is necessary.

• All beings are contingent except humans.

• Everything is necessary and eternal.

• There must be a necessary being that ensures the existence of other things.

Answer explanation

There must be a necessary being that ensures the existence of other things.

In the Fourth Way, Gradation, what does St. Thomas argue?

• There is no ultimate good.

• Beauty, truth, and goodness are human constructs.

• Gradation does not imply a highest being.

• There must be an ultimate standard of good, truth, and beauty which is God.

Answer explanation

There must be an ultimate standard of good, truth, and beauty which is God.

What does the Fifth Way, Design, indicate about the universe?

• Design in nature is an illusion.

• The intelligent design of nature suggests a designer, God.

• The universe is a product of random chance.

• Nature operates independently without any design.

Answer explanation

The intelligent design of nature suggests a designer, God.

What is a common misunderstanding about faith and reason according to the text?

• That faith and human reason cannot co-exist.

• Faith replaces reason entirely.

• Reason is unnecessary for faith.

• Faith is based solely on empirical evidence.

Answer explanation

That faith and human reason cannot co-exist is a common misunderstanding according to the text.

What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about the desire for God?

• It is written on every human heart.

• It is learned through education.

• It is relevant only to believers.

• It is a myth.

Answer explanation

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the desire for God is written on every human heart, making it a universal aspect of human nature.

How does St. Thomas Aquinas use reason in his theological studies?

• To promote scientific understanding only.

• To argue against the necessity of faith.

• To disprove the existence of God.

• To explore and explain matters of faith and God.

Answer explanation

St. Thomas Aquinas uses reason in his theological studies to explore and explain matters of faith and God.

What does the concept of an 'Unmoved Mover' primarily address?

• The permanence of objects in space.

• The initiation of motion in the universe.

• The illusion of movement.

• Self-moving objects.

Answer explanation

The concept of an 'Unmoved Mover' primarily addresses the initiation of motion in the universe.

What is implied by the 'First Cause' in Aquinas' proofs?

• Causes are fundamentally random.

• There is no cause for physical phenomena.

• Causation is an infinite regress with no beginning.

• There must be an initial cause that is uncaused.

Answer explanation

There must be an initial cause that is uncaused.