I don't like it, because I don't see why the first cause possesses the qualities you've described. I've asked you to clarify. Can you explain why the first cause has to possess these qualities?

To what qualies do you refer that you feel have not been addressed? I truly do not know what your asking that hasn't already been addressed.

How do you figure it's conscious? Why did it need to be 'one and intelligible'?

(August 15, 2015 at 10:11 am)Neimenovic Wrote: How do you figure it's conscious? Why did it need to be 'one and intelligible'?

Divine Intellect is covered the the 4th Way.

Which you didn't cover in the debate.

Eta: I read up about it, and I still don't understand why these qualities must necessarily be true of the first cause. Why is it impossible for the universe to be created by something that does not poses these qualities?

(August 15, 2015 at 9:25 am)Neimenovic Wrote: I don't like it, because I don't see why the first cause possesses the qualities you've described. I've asked you to clarify. Can you explain why the first cause has to possess these qualities?

Because he wants it to.  That's how religion works, the theist will tell you that God is completely undetectable and unmeasurable, yet will tell you in great detail all of the characteristics and wishes that deity has.  How do they know?  Magic, I guess.  Or, more likely, they just make it up and try to justify the results.

(August 15, 2015 at 10:36 am)ChadWooters Wrote:

(August 15, 2015 at 10:11 am)Neimenovic Wrote: How do you figure it's conscious? Why did it need to be 'one and intelligible'?

Divine Intellect is covered the the 4th Way.

Which is complete bullshit.  Aquinas chose to define God into existence with characteristics he could have no way of knowing or testing.  Just because you make up a god with those characteristics doesn't mean that any such god exists in reality with those characteristics.

(August 15, 2015 at 1:49 pm)Cephus Wrote: How do they know?  Magic, I guess.  

No magic required...just reason and common sense. Apparently you have neither otherwise you would engage with Aquinas's demonstration instead of boring us with your bluster.

(August 15, 2015 at 10:45 am)Neimenovic Wrote: ...I read up about it, and I still don't understand why these qualities must necessarily be true of the first cause.

Then you didn't really read it or you'd be asking better questions.