Journal of Philosophy and Theology

Aquinas and the Question of God’s Existence: Exploring the Five Ways
Dr. Damian Ilodigwe

Abstract
Without doubt, St Thomas Aquinas was the greatest of the medieval philosophers. Aquinas was a prolific writer and he made contributions to virtually every area of Philosophy and Theology. His account of the existence of God is perhaps the best known aspect of his work. This is especially true of the celebrated five arguments he adduced in demonstration of the existence of God. In exploring Aquinas‟ Five ways, which some commentators regard as Aquinas‟ substantive contribution to Philosophy of religion, our contention is that they demonstrate the possibilities as well as the limits of natural theology, so far as while Aquinas does not deny that natural reason can establish the existence of God he nonetheless maintains that there are aspects of God‟s nature that can be known only through the means of divine revelation. Consequently unless we take into account the double emphasis on the possibilities and limits of natural theology, we are sure to underestimate the contemporary relevance of Aquinas‟ Five ways.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijpt.v6n1a3