The fifth way of Thomas Aquinas is the Argument from Design. It is as follows
Is this argument reasonable and rational? What are the weaknesses of this argument? What are it's strengths? Do you find this argument convincing, if so, why? If not, why not?
Thank you for posting this Ramoss as well as for all of the other 4 proofs of God by Aquinas as well. We all appreciate the work that you have gone to in ferreting these our and laying them out in everyday language.
The 5th proof of God by Aquinas is my all time favorite.
I came up with a version of it myself in Catholic high school in late 9th Grade (Freshman year).
However my own version was slightly different however close enough to endear me to Aquinas' #5 as well as all the other 4 in addition.
My version of #5 goes like this:
1 - life seems tough for everyone and especially tough for some
2 - life seems to be designed to test everyone
3 - since life appears to be designed, there must be a designer and this designer is God.
4 - since the test is hard then the designer must need or want to know how we will act under given circumstances
5 - since the designed test is refining us then there must be a reward or a punishment awaiting us after life
6 - since the designed test seems to be in preparation for an afterlife then there must be an afterlife
7 - since God is testing us then the reward must be to live eternally with God
8 - for those who fail the test there must be another place for the condemned
9 - since this testing is a huge task involving billions of souls then God must have helpers
10 - God's helpers must be angels and arch angels of Heaven
11 - working for God as an angel or arch angel is the reward in the afterlife and the purpose of this life.
12 - the 7 arch angels of God therefore must also exist because God cannot do all this work alone.
13 - man should keep all the laws of God during this life in order to fare well on the test
14 - man must strive to learn the laws of God in order to keep them
15 - there is merit in teaching others the laws of God once you have discovered them yourself.
16 - in addition to keeping all the laws of God it is merit that excels us to the Kingdom and Presence of God.