Various arguments on Theistic Topics.

Presented below are a series of arguments in the area of theism.

Argument for - the uncaused cause is pure act.

The uncaused cause is the cause which is not caused
Then what is not caused is ontologically prior to all causes.
Then what is ontologically prior to all causes is not receptive of being.
Then what is not receptive of being has no potency.
Then what has no potency is act without potency.
Then what is act without potency is pure act.
Therefore the uncaused cause is pure act.

Argument for - the supreme being is pure act.

The supreme being is that being with the most being.
What is the most being, is being without limit.
But being without limit is being without the capacity to receive further being.
The capacity to receive further being is potency.
Then the supreme being is that being without potency.
Which is being as act without potency
Which is being as pure act.
Therefore the supreme being is pure act.

Argument for - the uncaused cause is the supreme being.

The uncaused cause is pure act.
The supreme being is pure act.
What is identical in act is identical.
Therefore the uncaused cause is the supreme being.

Argument for - a thing without limit is act without potency as the contrary cause of act.

The modes of being are potency and act.
Act is does be or does do.
Potency is can be or can do.
When a thing is limited, the thing is composed of act and potency.
Act is the cause of the does be of the thing.
Potency is the cause of the can be of the thing.

But what does be, and what can be are contrary causes.
What does be is the cause of the act to be of a thing.
What can be is the cause of the limit of the act of the thing.
For an act, from itself is act, and not the limit of the act.
Then another cause is the cause of the limit of the act, other than the act.
The other cause, is a contrary cause of act, which is potency.
Potency is then the cause of the limit of a thing.
Then a thing without a limited be, is a be in act without the contrary cause of act.
Therefore a thing without limit is act without potency as the contrary cause of act.

Argument for -  there is only one being of pure act.

Pure act is act without limit.
Act without limit is act without potency.
If there are two acts (does be) without limits (can be), then there are two beings of pure act.
But two beings of pure act are two beings of act without limit.
But two beings of act without limit is being without limit, which is pure act.
Then the two beings of pure act, are both pure act.
Yet what is identical in being is identical
Then the two beings of pure act are identical.
Then the identical two beings are identical in being.
What is identical in being is identical, and therefore one being.
Therefore there cannot be more than one being of pure act.
Therefore there is only one being of pure act.

Argument for - - Anything with potency and act must be caused

Act is does be.
Potency is can be.
Act is not potency and potency is not act.
Hence act and potency are diverse modes of being.
Yet in a thing composed of act and potency, act and potency are united.
But act and potency are of themselves diverse.
And what are the causes of diversity are diverse.
And what is the cause of unity, unites the diverse. 
So, whatever are of themselves diverse, but found united, are united by another cause as the cause of unity of the diverse.
But a thing is one with itself, and therefore a unity.
Hence a thing composed of act and potency must be caused by another cause as the cause of unity.
Therefore as the unity of a composed thing is caused by another cause, 
And as a thing can be anything, then anything, must be caused by another cause.
Therefore anything with potency and act must be caused by another.
Therefore anything with potency and act must be caused.

Or more simply in summary form.

That thing which is composed by diverse causes of being, must have the cause of its unity of being in another cause, other than the cause of diversity of being. That other cause, is other than the thing, which itself is a unity of being. Such as being is the prime being, as the universal cause of all being, which is God.

JM