Aquinas second way

Question 1

what is the focus of the second way?

Answer 1

cause and effect
the first way is about things being acted on and being changed passive
the second way is about things acting and bring the change active.

Question 2

second way from atemporal causation in standard form

Answer 2

P1 there is an order of efficient causes (sometimes rephrased as the causal principle every event has a cause)
P2 nothing can be the cause of itself (as it would have to be prior to itself which is impossible)
P3 this order of efficient causes cant go on infinitely otherwise there would be no first cause and hence no subsequent causes which is false.
C1 therefore there must be a first efficient cause, which is not itself caused
C2 Therefore the first cause is god

Question 3

criticisms- list

Answer 3

no further argument- does this prove the god of classical theism?
contradictions

Question 4

issues- no further explanation

Answer 4

aquina’s offers no further explanation as why he concludes that the first cause or the primary mover is god.
he does not show that this first cause or primary mover is the god described in classical theism and therefore do not have the properties ascribed to the god hence is not worthy of praise.

Question 5

issues- contradictions

Answer 5

there appears to be a contradiction in both the first and second ways. he claims that nothing can be the cause of itself but then argues that there must be a first cause which the cause of itself or the unmoved mover.