The belief in the existence of God and other supernatural beings like spirits continues to evoke endless debates among scholars, critics, and staunch traditionalists. However, people will never get sufficient evidence to justify whether God or the Holy Spirit exists due to differences in human viewpoints and religious beliefs.
Rene Descartes believes that God exists contrary to other scholars’ viewpoints. His belief is derived from scholarly and scientific cause and effect criterion that explains various world occurrences. He believes that there must be driving forces that make things happen and thus they originate from a superior being known as God (Braun 23). Therefore, the presence of strange things in the world illustrates the power of other non-human beings. Therefore, Descartes argues that the reason behind these happenings is a supernatural being known as God. This is one of his undoubted arguments that support God’s existence.
The second argument he puts forward to support his argument is based on his ontological evidence that explains the nature of a superior being. He argues that if God is perfect he must be faultless, therefore, he has everything and knows all about the universe and all its inhabitants. He argues that God cannot lead any person into wrongdoing or trouble, which proves that He is a superior being to others. In addition, he argues that if something is perfect it must exist to earn the title; for that reason, God’s existence is beyond doubt (Cunning 66). His belief in God’s existence fits into his epistemology about the knowledge and belief in God’s presence on earth. He based his beliefs on his prayers, beliefs, reflections and trust in the belief that super natural beings exist despite anything.
Moreover, his beliefs are based on meditations that justify God’s existence. He uses these meditations to illustrate how the universe reveals the presence of an invisible super natural being. These are some of the commonly used ways of proving any argument about God’s existence be it a scientific or a spiritual one (Harrelson 18). These meditations combine physical and spiritual evidences that identify and illustrate the presence of super powers in the universe. Through these meditations, people learn various aspects of super natural beings like perfectness and love for human beings.
Descartes’ cogito arguments illustrate crucial religious and personal elements that differentiate the human mind from the body. These arguments show the link between the mind and body that serves to illustrate God’s presence or absence on earth. He argues that scientists base their beliefs and findings in their mind more than in the body; for that reason, there is a close relationship between science and religion (Braun 31). There is no doubt that Descartes convinces his audience that anyone can be deceived. Therefore, whether a person believes in God’s existence or not is not the subject to debate bearing in mind that individuals have different beliefs. He argues that an individual’s ability to believe in or stick to any side of an argument shows that the person does exist.
God’s existence links individuals’ minds with their surroundings, which may include other people, animals, plants or non living things. This connection enables people to appreciate their lives and those of other people. As a result, they learn the importance of caring for one another as well as sharing their wealth with other people in their surroundings. God’s existence is an assurance to people that despite the challenges they experience there is someone who cares and will not let them perish (Cunning 71). Descartes argues that God is perfect and thus cannot subject human beings to sufferings. This is without doubt an evidence to prove the devil’s existence in the world since if there is God then there must be an antonym to his name.
Even though, it is impossible to convince other people to follow Descartes’ arguments, there is no doubt that there are possibilities that they indirectly believe in this argument. Some people may never openly agree with these arguments, but inwardly their souls and minds are convinced beyond any doubt that indeed God exists. It is impossible to read other people’s minds, but the truth is that they believe in God’s existence. Saint Thomas Aquinas puts forward a five approach method that explains God’s presence on earth. However, these approaches do not serve to prove whether God exists or not but rather explain the reasons that justify His presence. Aquinas advanced five ways that illustrate God’s existence, which are based on real life events that illustrate God’s work (Harrelson 22). These arguments are interconnected with happenings around societies and thus are not subject to debate as to whether they qualified to be true or not. Aquinas and Descartes’ arguments have many similarities even though their approaches show significant differences.
Even though Aquinas uses five approaches to verify the God’s existence, Descartes uses meditations to serve the same purpose. Aquinas argues that everything on earth seems to be in motion; the world rotates and revolves, human beings as well as plants grow and develop. He proposes that there must be an extremely powerful force that propels things to move, therefore God’s presence is felt through these illustrations. On the other hand, Descartes argues that science, as well as religion, bases their beliefs on the individuals’ bodies and minds. His cause and effect approach to prove God’s existence is similar to the above argument put forward by Aquinas. These arguments base their findings and conclusions on the belief that the existence of various events on earth is as a result of a super natural being. Rene argues that God must be the creator of all living and non living things, therefore, everything that one can see on earth could not exist if it were not for the presence of a super natural power.
Additionally, Aquinas concludes Descartes’ arguments by highlighting the link between causes and effects of various events. For that reason, these arguments are in agreement in advocating for the belief in super natural beings and explaining God’s existence. Rene Descartes uses human beings’ mental and physical aspects to explain God’s existence, thus, his argument is more persuasive than Aquinas’s (Braun 36). In addition, Aquinas does not regard the human body as important in presenting his arguments which subjects his belief to criticisms.
Human beings experience crucial challenges that force them to seek divine interventions. Religion and science offer conflicting solutions to these problems. While religion addresses spiritual matters, science is based on people’s physical experiences and evidences. However, people should make informed choices with regard to the controversial debate regarding the God’s existence.
Works Cited
Braun, Jesse. Descartes’ Arguments for God’s Existence. New York: McGraw Hill. 2006. Print.
Cunning, David. Argument and Persuasion in Descartes’ Meditations. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.
Harrelson, Kevin. The Ontological Argument from Descartes to Hegel. New York: Humanity Books, 2008. Print.