How is the Prime Mover like God?

To what extent are Aristotle's Prime Mover and the Judeo-Christian concept of God similar?

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  • Created by: serebro
  • Created on: 15-03-14 09:13

How is the Prime Mover like God?

Similarities

  • Eternal and Infinite
  • Exist outside of time and space
  • Separate from the universe
  • Perfect and never-changing
  • Humans move to it
  • Sets events off

Differences

  • PM only thinks of itself
  • Has no physical
  • Cannot communicate with anything
  • Has no feelings or emotions
  • Objective
  • Humans have to follow and cannot refuse it
  • Has no power of creation
  • Knows nothing of the future
  • No intention to intervene

Overall comparison

The Prime Mover and God share many similarities in terms of their existence, they are necessary beings and live eternally outside of the human world. However, the Prime Mover serves only one purpose, to set events off. It has none of God's major powers nor has any choice or freedom to make things happen, logically the Prime Mover always has to set events off. It acts more like a force in the universe, like time, rather than the modern concept of a God who has a personal connection with humans and is responsible for everything's existence.

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