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Single Idea 20700

[from 'Summa Contra Gentiles' by Thomas Aquinas, in 17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 4. Occasionalism ]

Full Idea

If God's divine influence stopped, every operation would stop. Every operation, therefore, of everything is traced back to him as cause.

Gist of Idea

Without God's influence every operation would stop, so God causes everything

Source

Thomas Aquinas (Summa Contra Gentiles [1268], III.67), quoted by Brian Davies - Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion 3 'Freedom'

Book Reference

Davies,Brian: 'An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion' [OUP 1993], p.42


A Reaction

If the systematic interraction of mind and body counts as an 'operation', then this seems to imply Occasionalism.