Comments on Aquinas (was '[lbo-talk] The "A" lives, apparently' and '[lbo-talk] The Argument from Design and Polytheism)'

Jon Johanning zenner41 at mac.com
Sat Dec 18 07:28:07 PST 2004


On Dec 17, 2004, at 6:32 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:


> To say that we have a valid question (one with an answer) is to say
> that God exists; for
> what we mean by "God" is just whatever answers the question.

So if the answer is "what exists exists," then "what exists" is God (Spinoza's position, roughly). (See my concurrent post in the Argument from Design and Polytheism thread.) Of course, Aquinas would reply that existing things of the ordinary sort, chairs, tables, plants, animals, humans, etc., are "contingent beings," which need a "necessary being" apart from them to give them their being. But there are familiar arguments against that position, which I shall not bother to repeat here, but could if you want. (I'm sure you know them as well as I do.)

Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org _____________________________ "If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants were standing on my shoulders". Hal Abelson (MIT)



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