GALLICANISM AND ULTRAMONTANISM IV. ONTOLOGISM AND PSYCHOLOGISM V. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW-THE EXECUTIVE POWER II. CONTROVERSY WITH PROTESTANTS IV. AUTHORITY IN MATTERS OF FAITH V. LETTER TO THE EDITOR VI. THE OUTLOOK AT HOME AND ABROAD BROWNSON'S QUARTERLY REVIEW. JANUARY, 1874. ART. I.-An Essay in Refutation of Atheism. By O. A. VI.-INCONCLUSIVE PROOFS. PHILOSOPHERS and theologians do not necessarily adduce the best possible arguments to prove their theses, and may sometimes use very weak and even inconclusive arguments. An argument for the existence of God may also seem to one mind conclusive, and the reverse to another. Men usually argue from their own point of view, and take as ultimate the principles which they have never doubted, or heard questioned, although far from being in reality ultimate, and thus take for granted what for others needs to be proved. Men also may hold the truth, be as well assured of it as they are of their own existence, even possess great good sense and sound judgment, and yet be very unskilful in defending it-utterly unable to assign good and valid reasons for it. They know they are right, but know not how to prove it. St. Thomas, the Doctor Angelicus, maintains that the existence of God is demonstrable, not from principles really a priori or universal-for nothing can be more universal or more ultimate than God from which his existence can be concluded, since he is the first principle alike in being and in knowing-but as the cause from the effect; and this he proves by five different arguments: The first is drawn from the empirical fact of motion and the necessity of a first mover, not "Summa," pars prima, quæst. 1, art. 2 et 3. LAST SERIES.-VOL. II. NO. I. 1 |