I wondered if Aquinas' First Way works. I think it still does.

 What is the basic First Way argument from Aquinas for God’s existence?


Consider a series of causes between different members; one member causes another, another causes another and so on and so forth. Now consider where causation is derived from. Is it from any single member who has the causal power per se (or intrinsically, apart from another member giving it causation)? If causation is not from any single member who has the causal power per se, then no causal power can exist. For example, consider that member m has its causal power from m1 and m1 has its causal power from m2, and so on and so forth. Which member in the series has the causal power per se? None? Then no causation exists. But clearly causation exists. So, to explain the clear existence of causation, one must posit a member which has causation per se. This is to be understood as God.



Some may say Aquinas’ argument does not work because causation just goes on to infinity between the infinite members. 

I say this objection to Aquinas’ argument doesn’t work. Cluing my reply to the objection is this: if the objection works, then the infinite amount of members borrow their causal power from each other.

Now, here’s a problem. The objector is either arguing in a circle or not properly explaining their argument. Consider the conjunct of the infinite amount of members who borrow their causal power from each other. Now ask, “From what does the conjunct derive their causal power?” If the objector says the conjunct does not derive their causal power from anything else even though there is borrowed causal power, then they wouldn’t have been answering the question to the point where it can be properly answered. Clearly the conjunct is borrowing from something. If the objector says the conjunct derive their causal power from themselves, then that’s arguing in a circle. 

The clear answer to the question is some being which is not in the conjunction of members. This being has its causal power per se and endows causal power to the members in the conjunction.


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