Episode 115 – Aquinas’ 4th Way
In this episode, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli discuss Aquinas’ 4th Way to understand the existence of God. We cover:
– Reading the 4th Way
– The uniqueness of this argument
– Gradation and degree
– The metaphysical foundation
The 4th Way – “The fourth way is taken from the gradation to be found in things. Among beings there are some more and some less good, true, noble and the like. But “more” and “less” are predicated of different things, according as they resemble in their different ways something which is the maximum, as a thing is said to be hotter according as it more nearly resembles that which is hottest; so that there is something which is truest, something best, something noblest and, consequently, something which is uttermost being; for those things that are greatest in truth are greatest in being, as it is written in Metaph. ii. Now the maximum in any genus is the cause of all in that genus; as fire, which is the maximum heat, is the cause of all hot things. Therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; and this we call God.” – www.newadvent.org/summa/1002.htm
