4. The Argument from Degrees of Perfection

The following argument is another from Aquinas' famous "five ways".  The first three arguments were all from physical evidence.  The next two arguments shift gears and consider the ends and purposes.

If, from the third argument from time and contingency,

...all things owe their existence totally to Him, then all that they have is from Him and therefore all the perfections that they have must in some way be in Him.  Obviously they will be in Him in a way immeasurably higher.  For He made all things from nothing, and these perfections will be in things only insofar as nothingness can receive them.  (Theology and Sanity, pg. 57)

For we know that things around us vary in certain ways.  Things can be lighter or darker than others, hotter or colder, better or worse, more true or less true, more or less good, and so on. 

Such relative measurements imply an absolute standard of measurement...There must be some perfect standard against which all qualities are measured.  That fullness of all perfection we call God (Reasons to Believe, pg. 33-34). 

Furthermore

Thus since knowledge and love are to be found in created things, knowledge and love must be in God.  God must know and love.  And this is the bare minimum that we mean when we speak of God as personal: a person is a being who can know and love (Theology and Sanity, pg. 57)