The proofs for the existence of God:

The proofs are commonly distinguished as being either a priori or a posteriori.

An a posteriori argument is that which relies on a premise derived from our daily human experience.
The a posteriori proofs are offered by many like St. Thomas Aquinas, William Paley. Their proofs are
grouped into two categories.

Teleological (telos: in Greek means purpose/design; for the purpose of; or it has been designed as such)
arguments are many and are presented by many philosophers. The ordinary human experiences of a
philosopher are taken as the basis to understand the existence of God. These arguments are challenged
and often are rejected by many. The easiest method of arriving at the existence of God would be to base
on one’s own experiences. That is why most of the philosophers have based their arguments on their
experiences.

Cosmological proofs try to explain the existence of God from the existence of the world, i.e. the cosmos.
The reality of the world is the basis to understand the existence of God.

An a priori argument: operates from a basis which is certain and logical, and it is prior to our experience
and independent of our experience. It rests upon purely logical consideration and achieves a kind of
certainty exhibited by mathematical truths. In fact, only one a priori proof is offered in the strict sense
i.e. the ontological argument of St. Anselm of Canterbury. Of course, this too has been challenged by
many and often rejected as invalid.

Ontological Proof (a priori): By St. Anselm of Canterbury.

1) God, by definition, is the greatest conceivable being.

2) If God exists only as a concept in our minds, as the greatest conceivable being,
3) Then it is not possible for there to be a being greater than God,
4) So, if there is no being greater than God, then what is found in the concept must also be found in
reality, that is outside the concept.
5) So, when we have a concept of the greatest being in our mind, and that concept is about that being
which exists outside of the concept.
6) Because that concept is about that being which exists in reality, that there is a God greater than which
nothing can exist.
7) Therefore, that is the greatest being exists in reality.
8) That conceivable being is the greatest being existing also in reality,
9) That greatest conceivable being and that which exists as the greatest reality are one and the same
10) So, we can conclude: that God must exist as a concept and as a reality.

The First Way: Argument from Motion

1. Our senses prove that some things are in motion.

2. Things move when potential motion becomes actual motion.
3. Only an actual motion can convert a potential motion into an actual motion.
 4. Nothing can be at once in both actuality and potentiality in the same respect.
5. Therefore nothing can move itself.
6. Therefore each thing in motion is moved by something else.
7. The sequence of motion cannot extend ad infinitum.
8. Therefore it is necessary to arrive at a first mover,
9. This first mover is put in motion by no other; and
10. This first mover everyone understands to be God.

The Second Way: Argument from Efficient Causes.

1. We perceive a series of efficient causes of things in the world.

2. Nothing exists prior to itself.
3. Therefore nothing [in the world of things we perceive] is the efficient cause of itself.
4. If a previous efficient cause does not exist, neither does the thing that results (the effect) would
exist.
5. Therefore if the first thing in a series does not exist, nothing in the series would exist.
6. If the series of efficient causes extends ad infinitum into the past, then there would be no things
existing now.
7. That is plainly false (i.e., there are things existing now that came about through efficient causes).
8. Therefore efficient causes do not extend ad infinitum into the past.
9. Therefore it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause,
10. That efficient cause to which everyone gives the name of God.

The Third Way: Argument from Possibility and Necessity (Reductio argument)

1. We find in nature things that are possible to be and not to be, that come into being and go out
of being i.e., contingent beings.
2. Assume that every being is a contingent being.
3. For each contingent being, there was a time it did not exist.
4. Therefore it is impossible for these to exist always.
5. Therefore there could have been a time when no things existed.
6. Therefore at that time there would have been nothing to bring the currently existing contingent
beings into existence.
7. Therefore, nothing would be in existence now.
8. We have reached an absurd result from assuming that every being is a contingent being.
9. Therefore not every being is a contingent being.
10. Therefore some being exists of its own necessity, and does not receive its existence from
another being, but rather causes them. This all men speak of as God.

The Fourth Way: Argument from Gradation of Being

1. There is a gradation found in things in the world.

2. Some individuals are better and some are worse than others.
3. In things we find that some things are more good or less good, or nobler than other things.
4. So there is something which is most true, and most noble and best.
5. Therefore there are things which have most or maximum goodness, gradation or existence.
 6. Predications of degree require reference to “uppermost” or “uttermost” or the greatest.
7. For example a thing is said to be hotter when it most nearly resembles that which is hottest.
8. That which is greatest or maximum in any kind causes everything in that kind or genus.
9. Therefore there must be something which is the cause of all their beings, goodness, and every
other perfection.
10. And, this we call God.

The Fifth Way: Argument from Design

1. We find that there are things in the world that have no knowledge.
2. But we find all these natural bodies work towards some end or goal.
3. They do not work towards an end by chance.
4. Most natural things lack knowledge.  
5. Natural things have only a natural tendency, like water finds its level.
6. But things which have no knowledge do not have a tendency to an end unless they are directed
by something that does have knowledge.
7. For example an arrow reaches its target because it is directed by an archer; arrow lacks
intelligence but attains the goal by being directed by something intelligent.
8. Therefore there is some being with intelligence and understanding.
9. This intelligent being directs all natural things to their end;
10. And this being we call God.