Metafizikos Onus Probandi
Onus Probandi of Metaphysics

Summary/Abstract: This article opens the set of articles intended as a survey and analysis of seven ways to prove God's existence. In the Middle Ages metaphysics is valued for its supposed ability to prove God. Nevertheless Anselm's argument is rejected by Thomas Aquinas, and this fact places the mentioned ability in dispute. In 17th century Descartes' return to Anselm's argumentation suggests the denial of the five Aquinas' ways. Finally Kant reveals the general inability of metaphysics to prove God's existence. Instead of metaphysics he proposes ethics (practical reason). But events of the 20th century render morality as the foundation of God's existence to be questionable. The following article shows the relevancy of the topic by focusing attention on the Aristotelian way to prove God's existence by means of movement as it is presented by Thomas Aquinas in Summa Contra Gentiles, Summa Theologiae and Compendium Theologiae. The article analyzes the concept of the first unmoved mover.

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