Classical Theism
-
A Simple Argument for a First Cause from St. Albertus Magnus
In Peter Lombard’s Sentences, Book I, Distinction III, the Magister considers how God can be known from creatures. Later commentators will take the opportunity in their comments on this section to present arguments for the existence of God. St. Albertus Magnus reads the Lombard as providing four reasons “for proving that God exists, and is…
-
Are the Existential Acts of Created Beings Pure Act?
According to the Thomistic picture, individual created beings are compositions of essence and existential act (esse). The essence stands as potency to the esse which actuates it, resulting in an existing substance. In a paper I am working on and conferencing, I have made the point that the esse of finite (created) beings contains no…