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    Carmelics

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    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
    See Original
    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Aquinas's doctrine of instrumental causation holds that secondary causes genuinely produce effects proper to their nature, not merely metaphorically.

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.If God sustains all being moment-to-moment, secondary causation may be metaphysically reducible to divine action regardless of nominalism.
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    • 2.The distinction between genuine and metaphorical causation is unclear when God's primary causation could fully explain all effects.
      ?

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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Secondary causes exhibit consistent causal powers matching their nature (fire burns, eyes see), not arbitrary divine action.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Real causal powers in creatures preserve divine omnipotence through instrumental mediation, avoiding occasionalism's denial of creaturely agency.
      ?

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    • 3.Scripture and observation both affirm creatures act according to their kinds, suggesting genuine rather than merely apparent causation.
      ?

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