So I am convinced that there is an unmoved mover, but why should it be Personal?

[YosefYosep]

So I have been looking at Aquinas’s argument from motion and I am convinced that the universe’s existence relies on some transcendent Other outside of the universe. But why should this Other be personal? Could this just be an eternal force that sustains existence?

 

[lakotak]

It seems kind of strange that an impersonal God, who hand no interest in his creation, other than existence, would send his only son to die, in the manner in which he did, for the salvation of a creation that he had no personal interest in.

 

[YosefYosep]

It seems kind of strange that an impersonal God, who hand no interest in his creation, other than existence, would send his only son to die, in the manner in which he did, for the salvation of a creation that he had no personal interest in.

Well I’m working from a purely philosophical view. I was wondering how you could prove that the first mover is not an impersonal force but a personal being apart from divine revelation.

 

[YosefYosep]

Any other comments??

 

[TK421]

So I have been looking at Aquinas’s argument from motion and I am convinced that the universe’s existence relies on some transcendent Other outside of the universe. But why should this Other be personal? Could this just be an eternal force that sustains existence?

Why is it sustaining existence? It is doing so accidentally or unintentionally?

An Other of infinite intelligence would suggest that it is infinitely personal and particular, not the other way around. Everything would be “its business” and it would be impossible for it to be any less than that.

 

[paduard]

It seems kind of strange that an impersonal God, who hand no interest in his creation, other than existence, would send his only son to die, in the manner in which he did, for the salvation of a creation that he had no personal interest in.

Very good point in my opinion. Sums it up for me.
paduard

 

[ynotzap]

So I have been looking at Aquinas’s argument from motion and I am convinced that the universe’s existence relies on some transcendent Other outside of the universe. But why should this Other be personal? Could this just be an eternal force that sustains existence?

Because when He created man, He created him for Himself, to unite Himself with man. He created an individual soul for an individual man, a soul that is spiritual like God who is Pure Spirit. The soul of man is subsistent, not depending intrinsically on matter. The end of man is God, he will be sustained for eternity, and moved by God, you can’t get more personal than that, The soul is the source of immanent activity in man that God keeps in existence, and in motion.