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A Thomistic metaphysics of creation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2012

GAVEN KERR
GAVEN KERR
Affiliation:
School of Politics, International Studies, and Philosophy, Queen's University Belfast, 21 University Square, Belfast, BT7 1PA, Northern Ireland e-mail: gkerr07@qub.ac.uk
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Abstract

This article seeks to advance a Thomistic metaphysics of creation in light of certain claims made by Stephen Hawking on the beginninglessness of the universe. I start with an exploration of Hawking's proposal that a beginningless universe entails an uncreated universe. This propels me into Aquinas's contention that a created beginningless universe is indeed possible, and thence I consider the metaphysics behind Thomas's position in this regard. Given this metaphysics of creation, I contend that there follow some interesting conclusions with regard to our notion of a creator God and the means for establishing the existence of such.

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Articles
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Religious Studies , Volume 48 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 337 - 356
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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