A Plea to Thomists

Will the Real Darwinian Please Stand Up? On Some Recent Defenses of the Fifth Way

Bibliographic Data

ID3558274
AuthorsAmerigo Barzaghi (0000-0001-9961-3584, Saint Louis University, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume15
Issue6
Pages736
Publication date2024-06-17
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel15060736
OpenAlexW4399728457
LanguageEN
References cited35

In this paper, we discuss with some contemporary Thomists the possibility of re-actualizing Thomas's fifth way to God in the science-theology dialogue. We start with a reference to Spinoza's critique of teleology in light of some recent Spinoza studies, and after summarizing several Thomistic defenses of Aquinas's teleological argument, we interpret that critique as targeting the fifth way as well. We then focus on Darwin's impact on biological design arguments. We argue that his naturalistic explanation of biological teleology also affects the fifth way. The distinction between internal-Aristotelian and external-Platonic conceptions of teleology does not seem to be able to protect the teleological argument from a Darwinian critique. We conclude by stressing the importance and fruitfulness of Thomas's thought for contemporary interdisciplinary dialogue, provided that Darwin's impact on the biological version of the fifth way is taken into due account

Darwinism · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Plea · Political science · Evolution and Science Education · Law · Medieval Philosophy and Theology · Philosophy · Theology and Philosophy of Evil

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