Quinquae viae

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The Quinquae viae, or Five Ways, are five proofs of the existence of God summarized by St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae. These proofs take the form of philosophical arguments:

1. The argument of the unmoved mover (ex motu).
2. The argument of the first cause (ex causa).
3. The argument of necessity (ex contingentia).
   • Many things in the universe may either exist or not exist. Such things are called contingent beings.
   • It is impossible for everything in the universe to be contingent.
   • Therefore, there must be a necessary being whose existence is not contingent on any other being(s).
4. The argument of perfection (ex gradu).
   • Various perfections may be found in varying degrees throughout the universe.
   • These degrees of perfections assume the existence of the perfections themselves.
5. The argument of design (ex fine).

[edit] References

• Kreeft, Peter. Summa of the Summa, Ignatius Press, 1990. ISBN 0-89870-300-X