From Movement to Being. A Metaphysical Interpretation of Thomas Aquinas’s First Way

by | 164-2022, Uncategorized

This article offers a metaphysical interpretation of the first way of St. Thomas Aquinas, according to which this argument is in itself sufficient to conclude the existence of a first Cause of being, which is itself pure Actuality. The interpretation offered rests fundamentally on the idea that the hierarchical chain of moved movers that leads to the first Unmoved Mover must be explained in such a way that the reasoning moves from more particular and less fundamental modes of actuality to others that are more universal and fundamental, until one arrives at the ultimate actuality of being.

Divine Simplicity and Freedom of the act of Creation. A dialogue between Classical Theism and Analytic Philosophical Theology

by | 157-2019

This article exposes and explains Alvin Plantinga’s objections against the traditional doctrine of divine simplicity, with a special focus on the objection based on the incompatibility between divine simplicity and the free character of the act of creation. The article analyses and weighs different responses to this objection coming from the Classical Theistic perspective of Thomas Aquinas: a) the impugnation of possible worlds semantics; b) the distinction between absolute and hypothetical necessity; c) the denial of God’s trans-world identity; d) the extrinsic character of God’s relational properties. A nuanced version of this last response is proposed and defended.