Accomplished Quote by Thomas Aquinas
“What can be accomplished by a few principles is not effected by many. But it seems that everything we see in the world can be accounted for by other principles, supposing God did not exist. For all natural things can be reduced to one principle, which is nature, and all voluntary things can be reduced to one principle, which is human reason, or will. Therefore there is no need to suppose God's existence.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Summa Theologiae, Part I, Question 2, 1274
The argument claims that natural phenomena and human actions can each be explained by a single principle, rendering belief in God unnecessary.
In simple terms: Nature and reason alone explain everything, so God is not needed.
Key Takeaway
Consider the limits of reductionist explanations.
Themes
philosophy
theology
reductionism
rationalism
Mood
skeptical
analytical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
argumentative
critical
When to use this quote
- scientific inquiry
- ethical decision making
- philosophical debate
- education
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
naturalism
human agency
principle of sufficient reason
Questions to Reflect On
- Can all moral values be derived from reason alone?
- What phenomena resist simple reduction?
A Different Perspective
Reductionism may overlook emergent properties and moral dimensions.
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