Pioneers of Critical Thinking (Socrates, Plato Aristotle) / Thomas Aquinas and

Critical ThinkingObjectives:

- To trace the intellectual legacy of the pioneers of critical thinking, namely, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle

- To introduce the students to the thought of Thomas Aquinas as a critical thinker

School of Athens by Raphael

Socrates (469 -399)

Entelechus (Socratic questioning)

Midwife Against the

Sophists Condemned to die

by drinking hemlock

“The more I know, the more I know that I do not know.”

Plato (429 – 347) Famous student of

Socrates Immortalized Socrates in

his “Dialogues” Founder of the “Academy” Known for his theory of

knowledge called anamnesis

Theory of “forms” or “ideas”

Allegory of the Cave (Republic, Book VII)

“An unexamined life is not worth living.”

Aristotle (384 – 322) Famous student of Plato;

famous teacher of Alexander the Great

Founder of the “Lyceum” Author of Logic (Organon

– Categories, Prior Analytics, Posterior Analytics, On Interpretation, Sophistical Refutations, Topics)

Virtue ethics Happiness We are what repeatedly

do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.

Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) Author of Summa

Theologiae among others Reconciled reason and

faith; systematized Catholic faith

Christianized Aristotle Famous for the so-called

“five ways” “Better to illuminate than

merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate. “

Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas

1) The Argument of the Unmoved Mover

The argument of the unmoved mover, or ex motu, tries to explain that God must be the cause of motion in the universe. It is therefore a form of the cosmological argument. It goes thus:

Some things are moved. Everything that is moving is moved by a mover. An infinite regress of movers is impossible. Therefore, there is an unmoved mover from whom all

motion proceeds. This mover is what we call God.

Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas

2) The Argument of the First Cause

The argument of the first cause (ex causa), tries, unlike the argument of the Unmoved Mover, to prove that God must have been the cause, or the creator of the universe. It is therefore another form of the cosmological argument. It goes thus :

Some things are caused. Everything that is caused is caused by something else. An infinite regress of causation is impossible. Therefore, there must be an uncaused cause of all that

is caused. This cause is what we call God.

Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas

3) The Argument from Contingency

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, for then there would be a time when nothing existed, and so nothing would exist now, since there would be nothing to bring anything into existence, which is clearly false.

Therefore, there must be a necessary being whose existence is not contingent on any other being or beings.

This being is whom we call God.

Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas

4) The Argument from Degree

The argument from degree or gradation (ex gradu). It is heavily based upon the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It goes thus :

Varying perfections of varying degrees may be found throughout the universe.

These degrees assume the existence of an ultimate standard of perfection.

Therefore perfection must have a pinnacle. This pinnacle is whom we call God.

Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas

5) The Teleological Argument

The teleological argument or argument of "design" (ex fine), which claims that everything in the Universe has a purpose, which must have been caused by God :

All natural bodies in the world act towards ends. These objects are in themselves unintelligent. Acting towards an end is characteristic of

intelligence. Therefore, there exists an intelligent being that

guides all natural bodies towards their ends. This being is whom we call God.