Aquinas 101 - Aquinas’s Proofs for God’s Existence

Aquinas’s Proofs for God’s Existence

Proving God's ExistenceThe One God

25 lessonsDoes God exist? This is one of the great questions, and Thomas Aquinas takes it head on with his famous “Five Ways” or “Five Proofs” for the existence of God. In this course, we will unpack each proof over several short episodes, outlining how they work, adding context, and answering objections. With a little study, you’ll find that Aquinas’ proofs are not only profound, but even life changing.

What you will learn

What it would mean to “prove” God’s existence
How each proof for God’s existence works
Additional context for St. Thomas’ proofs
Answers to common objections

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Course Content

Lesson 1: What Would It Mean to 'Prove' God Exists?

Lesson 2: The First Way: Aquinas's Favorite Argument for the Existence of God

Lesson 3: The First Way: What's Wrong With Aquinas's Argument?

Lesson 4: The Second Way: How Aquinas's Proof Works

Lesson 5: The Second Way: What is Efficient Causality?

Lesson 6: The Second Way: Proving God's Existence Through Efficient Causality

Lesson 7: The Third Way: You Didn't Have to Exist (But You Do!)

Lesson 8: The Third Way: The Difference Between Necessary and Possible Beings

Lesson 9: The Third Way: How Aquinas Argues for God's Existence From Contingency

Lesson 10: The Fourth Way: The Least Popular of Aquinas' Five Ways

Lesson 11: The Fourth Way: Can One Statement Be More True Than Another?

Lesson 12: The Fourth Way: Why Does Truth Depend Upon Being?

Lesson 13: The Fourth Way: If You're the Tallest, You're Also a Cause!

Lesson 14: The Fifth Way: Proving God's Existence From the Rational Order in Nature

Lesson 15: The Fifth Way: What Is God's Role in Ordering the Physical World?

Lesson 16: The Fifth Way: Aquinas and Arguments from Modern Science

Lesson 17: Aquinas's Simplest Proof for the Existence of God

Lesson 18: Proving God's Existence From the World's Order

Lesson 19: A Metaphysical Argument for the Existence of God

Lesson 20: How the Essentia Argument for God’s Existence Works

Lesson 21: How Can We Name God? The Triplex Via

Lesson 22: How the Existence Argument Works

Lesson 23: Can Nominalism Deny the Existence of God?

Lesson 24: Can You Prove God Exists by Reason Alone?

Lesson 25: Is Belief in God Rational?

Instructors

Fr. Ambrose Little, O.P.Director, Thomistic Institute. Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Dominican House of Studies.

Fr. James Brent, O.P.Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Chaplain to Commuter Students, Dominican House of Studies.

Fr. John Baptist Ku, O.P.Associate Professor of Dogmatic Theology, Dominican House of Studies.

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P.Assistant Professor of Dogmatic and Moral Theology, Dominican House of Studies.