27 Sep 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Brittany Rodriguez
Professor Leigh Duffy
Philosophy 101
9/12/16
Lecture Notes #3
“ The Existence of God” Saint Thomas Aquinas
(Cause/ Effect) Efficient Cause- Agent or event that normally brings about another event
For ex, A rooster crows before Sunrise
- The sun doesn’t rise, “ the earth rotates”.
- The rooster is an event that brings about another event
Another example: I throw a pen on the floor and the gravity makes the pen stay on the
floor
1) Causes + Effects come in sequences: C > E
2) Nothing can its own efficient cause
3) Sequences cannot go back infinitely
There must be a 1st, uncaused cause------- God
Contingent Truth – statement that is true but could have been false, “Dependent” on
something else to exist if other circumstances are the case
For ex, Professor Duffy exists, in buffalo it is raining, grass is green.
Contingent beings – Do exist but could have failed to exist, possible to have been
false
Necessary Truth- Statement that is true and could have not been false, only
“Independent”.
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