In this lesson we conclude our studies of Aristotle. We will cover the topics of Aristotle's understanding of God, an idea that became quite influential in subsequent philosophical speculation. We will also touch on Aristotle's theory of happiness, and the levels of happiness that he identifies.

In church history there has been some controversy over whether the arguments that Aristotle offered for the existence of God are worthwhile from a Christian perspective. In future studies, we will consider the 'five ways' of Thomas Aquinas in which he seeks to prove the existence of God relying largely on Aristotle's approach. Others, like Augustine and Anselm, take a different approach that relies more heavily on inward intuition than outward evidence.

For now we should simply appreciate the great achievements of Aristotle, including his perceptive insight into the nature of human happiness, and the apparent rational need for a great first cause to account for creation and our own existence.

1. Introduction to the Major Themes of Philosophy
2. The Ionian Philosophers
3. The Italian Philosophers
4. The Athenian Pluralists
5. The Life and Times of Socrates
6. Introduction to Plato
7. Plato's World of the Forms
8. Plato's Parable of the Cave
9. Dualism in Plato
10. Introduction to Aristotle
11. Aristotle's Metaphysics
12. Aristotle's Categories
13. Aristotle's Theory of Language
14. Aristotle's God
15. The Epicureans
16. Stoicism
17. Philo of Alexandria
18. The Christian Synthesis
19. Early Christian Apologists
20. Antiochan Christianity
21. Alexandrian Christianity
22. The Council of Nicaea
23. Manichaeism
24. Neo-Platonism
25. The Life of Augustine
26. Overview of Augustin's Thought
27. Augustin's Epistemology
28. Augustin's Epistemology (part 2)
29. Augustin's Theory of Faith
30. Augustin's Understanding of the Church
31. The Pelagian Controversy
32. The Pelagian Controversy (cont)
33. The Pelagian Controversy (concl)
34. Anselm of Canterbury
35. Anselm's Cur Deus Homo
36. Introduction to the Classical Synthesis
37. The Classical Synthesis (part 2)
38. Thomas Aquinas and the Five Ways
39. Art, Philosophy, and the Renaissance

This wide ranging course starts with the pre-Socratic philosophers of the ancient world, and traces the history of philosophical speculation across the ages up to the present. Included along the way is special attention to the greatest Christian thinkers in history, including Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin and many others.