all, second movers do not move except when moved by a first mover, just as a stick does not move anything except when moved by a hand. Thus, this leads to the conclusion that there is a first mover which is not moved by anything, and this first mover is what we understand to be God.Summarizing Aquinas’ first way, the argument states that objects are in motion, and if something is in motion, then it must be caused to be in motion by something outside of itself. That is, an object in motion is put in motion by some other object or force. There can be no infinite chain of movers/movees so there is a first, unmoved mover. Therefore, in conclusion, the unmoved mover exists and is called God.Aquinas’ second way in proving God’s existence is based on the nature of efficient causation. Now, causation itself is “making to be” in the sense that the cause makes there be the result. Efficient causation, however, is the production of the result, or the activation from being merely possible or potential into accomplished fact. Thus, the efficient cause is what brings about the result to be effectively realized as actual. In the observable world we discover an order of efficient causes, but no case is found, or ever could be found, of something efficiently causing itself. Such a thing would have to be prior to itself, which is impossible. Now, it is impossible to go on forever in a series of efficient causes. This is because in every ordered series of efficient causes the first member of the series causes the intermediate member or members (whether the intermediate be one or many members), which in turn cause the final member. If you eliminate a cause you eliminate its effects, so there will not be final or intermediate members in the series unless there is a first member. Given if the series goes on forever, then there will be no first efficient cause, and so there will be no intermediate efficient causes and no final/la...
