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The Thomistic Institute
More than Spiritual: Proofs for the Existence of God | Prof. Joshua Hochschild
Feb 3, 2025
In this discussion, Professor Joshua Hochschild, a philosophy expert from Mount St. Mary’s University, dives deep into the existence of God. He contrasts Thomas Aquinas’s empirical reasoning with modern skepticism, tackling challenges posed by philosophers like David Hume. Hochschild unpacks Aquinas's five arguments for God's existence, emphasizing their philosophical significance and relevance today. He explores the concept of the unmoved mover, shedding light on the critical role of first causes in understanding change and existence.
44:22
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Quick takeaways
- Aquinas argues that the existence of an unmoved mover, or first cause, is essential due to the necessity of causality in change.
- The limitations of Aquinas's proof highlight that it establishes a first cause but does not fully define this being as God.
Deep dives
Proving the Existence of God
Aquinas presents a straightforward proof for the existence of God based on the concept of change and causality. He outlines three premises: that some things undergo change, that whatever experiences change must be caused by something else, and that this chain of causes cannot extend infinitely. This leads to the conclusion that there must be a first cause, an unmoved mover, that itself does not change. Aquinas emphasizes that this is a simple demonstration of the necessity of a first cause, which is often misconstrued in modern discussions about proving God's existence.
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