Thomas Aquinas Metaphysics: Catholic Theology and The Quest for the Cause for Being

Metaphysics comes from the Greek terms μετά, or metá, meaning above beyond or after, and φυσικά, or physiká, meaning physics. So at its roots, Metaphysics is the study of everything that lies above physical reality, and of what relationship those things have with it. However, one question arose repeatedly with almost every major metaphysical thinker, which narrowed the scope of metaphysics' targets. In contemplating that which lies after the corporeal, metaphysical minds began to wonder why things existed at all. After all, if things did not have existence, then there would nothing to consider. So, being and existence, which were before just two metaphysical concepts, became the highest powers presiding over the rest of reality, and the first philosopher to completely delineate these concepts would become equally important. This is how the quest for the cause for being began.

Out of all the thinkers that pursued this cause, Thomas Aquinas might be revolutionary. Not only does Aquinas attempt to improve upon the labor of his predecessors, but he also brings their work into his sacred theology. Aquinas decided to synthesize the teachings of Aristotle with the dogma of the Catholic Church. Even by contemporary standards, this should seem at least a bit backwards. However, by the standards of Aquinas' peers, this was probably seen as nothing short of blasphemy. Aristotle was not more than a symbol of paganism and ignorance to the Medievals, so merging the two different thought styles was an enormous achievement and a huge risk. But Aquinas’s metaphysics does not just summarize Aristotle. It makes many key changes and corrections to Aristotle in order to bring out his argument. From all this and through his own work, Thomas concludes ...

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...every facet of reality, since not all things can be known. Aquinas asserts from the beginning that philosophy merely serves theology, the queen of the sciences. To be completely certain of God's existence would require him to reveal himself directly. However, plenty of strong evidence is presented in Aquinas five ways, and by countless other thinkers as well. After understanding this, it is easy to detect Aquinas genius in his work on metaphysics. Aquinas revolutionized his field in countless ways, but in metaphysics, he changed how thinkers approached typical metaphysical problems permanently. Every metaphysical thinker after him would have to respond to his positions for centuries afterwards due to their strength. Today, though objections have been raised by now, Aquinas philosophy stands up to any modern equivalent full-able, and will hold its own in any contest.