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St Thomas' ‘Third Way’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2008

Michael Durrant
Affiliation:
Lecturer in Philosophy, University College, Cardiff

Extract

In this paper it is my intention to do the following: first, to make some general observations on the ‘Third Way’ of St Thomas Aquinas as set out in Summa Theologica, Pt. I Quaest. ii Art. 3; secondly, to offer interpretation of, comment on, and present an account of, the first premiss of the ‘Third Way’; and finally to offer a provisional account of what someone who advocates the ‘Third Way’ might be conceived of as doing in the light of the account offered of the first premiss of that ‘Way’. I do not suggest thai the account I offer of the first premiss under consideration or the account of the argument as a whole which I shall offer, is one which St Thomas would have accepted. My claim is only that for reasons to be offered, it is a possible and plausible account I also want to make it clear from the outset that I shall not be discussing the validity of the ‘Third Way’; this is an independent question to my inquiry.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

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References

page 229 note 1 British Analytical Philosophy—ed. William, and Montefiore, , pp. 131 ff.Google Scholar

page 234 note 1 I am indebted here and in some other places to the help of Mr R. S. Woolhouse.