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St. Thomas Aquinas Essay - 898 Words

Owen Zimmermann 11-20-11 Mrs.Donofree Rel. Pd. B St. Thomas Aquinas Saint Thomas Aquinas was a philosopher, theologian, Doctor of the Catholic Church, and is the patron saint of Catholic Universities, colleges, and schools. He was born in Rocca Secca, Italy, in 1225 and was born into a wealthy family. He even was related to the kings of Aragon, Castile, and France. His journey into Catholic beliefs seemed predestined, for he was told when he was a young child that he would become a friar and no one would be equal to him. He started his questioning of faith and religion when he was a youngster, frequently asking his teachers, â€Å"What is God?† Saint Thomas was a panentheist, meaning that he arrives through logical argument at†¦show more content†¦4) Therefore, there must be an uncaused first cause called God. The third manner of Aquinas’ support of God was that there are two types of beings, contingent beings (humans) and a necessary being (God). Saint Thomas believed that this necessary being (God), was necessary for the cont ingent beings (humans), to exist and without God, we humans would not exist. The easiest way to explain this very confusing subject would be as follows: 1) Contingent beings are caused. 2) Not every being can be contingent. 3) There must exist a being that is necessary to cause contingent beings. 4) This necessary being is God. Saint Thomas Aquinas’ fourth argument of the presence of God came from his observations of the quality of objects. For example one may say that of two paintings one is more beautiful than the other. So for these two objects, one has a greater degree of beauty than the next. This is referred to as degrees or graduation of a quality. From this fact Aquinas concluded that for any given quality (e.g. goodness, beauty, knowledge) there must be a perfect standard by which all such qualities are measured. These perfections are contained and reflected in God. God is the ultimate and everything is insufficient compared to His greatness. The final way that Saint Thomas Aquinas speaks of God’s existence has to do with the observable universe and the order of nature. Aquinas states that common sense tells us that the universe works in such a way, thatShow MoreRelatedThe Philosophy Of St. Thomas Aquinas1367 Words   |  6 PagesSt. Thomas Aquinas was an influential philosopher who strongly incorporated faith into his philosophy. In his Summa Theologiae, Aquinas uses his own arguments along with those of both Aristotle and Plato to strengthen his claims. First and foremost, Aquinas uses his own philosophy to back the Christian faith and the existence of God. However, Aquinas also extends his argument past the initial claim of God and Christianity, and it is here where he uses these other influential philosophers to helpRead MoreSt Thomas Aquinas Unbelievers Essay1837 Words   |  8 Pages Both in the times of St. Thomas Aquinas and in our times, there are many other religions. To avoid an everlasting war many chose to tolerate those o f the different religions. The Catholic Church teaches that it is the true Church and that salvation cannot be found outside of the Catholic Church (Catechism). When St. Thomas Aquinas speaks of unbelievers he speaks of those who are not Catholic. Unbelievers are very different from heretics. While the Church tends to treat unbelievers the same as theyRead MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas On The Existence Of God1338 Words   |  6 Pagesfocus primarily to proving the existence of God, as well as other religious tenets they held. Two Saints of the Catholic Church, St. Anselm and St. Thomas Aquinas, developed their own respective proofs for the existence of God. These proofs have gained fame over the subsequent centuries and still face debate and comparison today. Although both St. Anselm and St. Thomas Aquinas both offer proofs for the existence of God, the proofs differ drastically due to the distinct argumentative methods utilizedRead MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas On The Existence Of God1048 Words   |  5 PagesSt. Thomas Aquinas is considered to be one of the greatest minds of the western world as well as one of the greatest theologians. In his work Summa Theologica, which he revised many times over the course of his life, he explored the existence of God, and there are essentially five ways in which St. Thomas Aquinas argues the existence of God. The first way is the argument from change, the second way is the argument from causation, the third argument is the argument from possibility and necessity,Read More The Worldwide Influence of St. Thomas Aquinas Essay943 Words   |  4 PagesWorldwide Influence of St. Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas was born in the year 1225 into an incredibly Catholic family in a small town in Italy. As Thomas Aquinas grew up, he was very smart and was very interested in the catholic faith and philosophy and ultimately became a teacher of all these things. Thomas Aquinas proved that he was an important historical figure over his life time by being a leader in the Catholic Church , writing The Summa and spreading his beliefs. Thomas Aquinas proved himselfRead MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas And The Theological Principles Of Faith1831 Words   |  8 Pagesthan merely to contemplate† is a famous quote by St. Thomas Aquinas. It mentions how giving others the full truth about what they believe in is the best way for others to be willing members of a particular group. St. Thomas Aquinas always believed that there is nothing more sincere than the truth. It was always important to him to make sure everything he said was honest, especially speaking about the Lord so it wouldn’t be considered heresy. As Aquinas grew older and older, he started to learn moreRead MoreEssay on St. Thomas Aquinas’ On Being and Essence1002 Words   |  5 Pages In St. Thomas Aquinas’ On Being and Essence, he devotes an entire chapter of his book discussing how essence is found in composite substances. â€Å"Form and matter are found in composite substances, as for example soul and body in man. But it cannot be said that either one of these alone is called the essence.’ Aquinas argues that in a composite substance, not only is the form but also matter in the essence of a thing. However, in Metaphysics, Aristotle says that essence is in the form, which actsRead MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas s An Unjust Law1433 Words   |  6 PagesSt. Thomas Aquinas argues that an â€Å"an unjust law is no law at all.† (Aquinas in Dimock, ed., 2002, p.19) However, Aquinas also acknowledges that a human lawgiver may promulgate a command that has the form of law, and is enforced like a law, yet is unjust. This observation leads to the realization that these are two inconsistent claims. Yet Aquinas believes that these inconstancies can be reconc iled. In Aquinas’ view an unjust law is not a law but yet is also able to be issued as law and imposedRead MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas Of The Personalist / Natural Law Ethics888 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent theories were presented in our Ethical Theory class, the theory that stood out and reignited the most is St. Thomas Aquinas of the personalist /natural law ethics. St. Thomas Aquinas natural laws theory developed from a non-Christian that was Aristotle. Despite many of many Catholic theologian did not agree with St. Thomas Aquinas due to his agreement with Aristotle, but St. Aquinas would become one of the most influential theologian in Christianity history. His theory on natural law startedRead MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas On God And The Laws Of Nature964 Words   |  4 PagesThe world does not function in absolutes, therefore, I find myself aligning with St. Thomas Aquinas over Immanuel Kant. Aquinas’ Natural Law is based on God and the laws of nature. Aquinas identifies five primary precepts: reproduction, life, education, justice and worship. The primary precepts, then break down into secondary precepts that are flexible and realistic. Aquinas views the laws that affect man as coming from one of four areas. Eternal law is the mind of God and what he was thinking

The Beautiful Country Free Essays

Most people who live in the country dream of someday moving to the city and living a different life. Upon weighing the options, one may find that although sometimes boring, country life has much more to offer than city life such as better opportunities, better environment, and fresher food. The first advantage the country has over the city is greater oppurtunity. We will write a custom essay sample on The Beautiful Country or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although the city is filled with opportunities such as better education. The Country offers more of hands on experience while learning. The city is highly Populated, which makes it a lot harder to have any teacher to student bonding. However, in the country, less students are in each classroom, so it is easier for the teacher and student to interact. The jobs in the city are considered to be more mental than physical, which can cause mental strain on a person’s mind. Although, in the country the jobs are more physical than mental. Physical work can cause pain in the long run, but mental strain has a higher risk to cause life threatening issues. When it comes down to making friends in the city a person has a low chance. The city has enough people to make friends, but most of the people in the city are too busy to take time out of their lifr to even introduce theirselves to one another. However, the country is filled with nice, friendly people that are looking forward to making new friends daily. A better environment is a huge benefit to living in the country. Living in the city, the view is usually the same no matter where you go. The buildings in the city seem never ending. The tallness of the buildings and the graffiti that usually cover them eliminate any chance of a good view outside your window. Because the city is lit up twenty-four hours a day, the chance of catching a glimpse of the stars is also very rare. The constant sound of sirens and car horns eliminate any possibility of a good night’s sleep as well. Pollution is also greater in the city than in the country. Because there are a lot more people in the city, there are many more cars on the road. There are also more factories for these people to work which also aids in the pollution in the city. In the country, there are hardly any tall buildings. Residents of the country can usually step outside of their home and see a long stretch of green grass. The stars are almost always shining at night and the only sounds one may here while trying to go to sleep are the crickets chirping. Pollution is a lesser issue in the country as well. There are fewer people in the country which means fewer cars on the road. Because many people have their own farmland and make money that way, the need for factories for jobs is not as great in the country. How to cite The Beautiful Country, Papers