Refutation of the Sects (1959) - Page 18


Answer 275	85	98
c. THIRD ANSWER: TO THE PERSON 276 original Latin: ad hominem — an argument directed at the person or their specific beliefs rather than the logic of the issue.	85	98
2. The earth was fixed by God upon nothingness, and the elements were created
by God 277-285
A. The earth is not in the middle of the celestial sphere, but rests
upon nothingness 277-280
a. THEORY OF THE ADVERSARIES 277	85	98
b. REFUTATION: IMPOSSIBLE THEORY: THE EARTH,
LIKE THE FIRMAMENT, RESTS UPON NOTHINGNESS 278	85	99
Objection 279 original: instance — a technical term for a counter-argument or an exception brought against a general rule.	86	99
Answer 280	86	99
B. God also created the elements 281-284
a. STATEMENT OF THE THESIS 281	86	100
b. PROOFS OF THE THESIS FROM SCRIPTURE 282-284	86	100
α. GENERAL PROOF: WHATEVER IS CALLED UPON TO PRAISE GOD IS
CREATED BY GOD 283	87	100
β. FORMAL ASSERTIONS OF SCRIPTURE FOR SPECIFIC CREA-
TURES BY NAME 284	87	100
C. Return to the objection via Psalm 24:2 285 In the numbering system used by the author, this is Psalm 23:2.	87	101
Conclusion to this first pass and transition to the second 286 A "pass" refers to a round of argumentation.	88	101

II. SECOND PASS: COSMOGRAPHIC

A. Cosmography: what they say (the Outside Sages) "Outside Sages" refers to non-Christian philosophers, primarily Greek and Persian thinkers.

to make it believed that the heavens and luminous bodies

are living beings and gods 287-292


[1] Moon, sun, heavens, seven wandering stars 287 The "seven wandering stars" refer to the planets known in antiquity.	88	102
[2] Spherical heavens 288	88	102
[2] Earth, water, air, fire 289 The number [2] is repeated in the original text; this section likely should have been marked [3]. These are the four classical elements.	89	102
[4] The moon has no light of its own: phases and eclipses 290	89	102
[5] Stars: causes of changes in the four elements 291	89	103
Conclusion to A: they say this to turn them into gods: it is not
surprising that they wished to see gods in the brilliant stars
when they worshipped venomous beasts 292	89	103

B. Philosophy 293-298


[6] More blameworthy are the Sages of the Greeks: a general
overview of their errors: Pantheism in general
293 original Latin: conspectus — a summary or general survey.	89	103
[7] Pythagoreans 294 Followers of Pythagoras, who emphasized mathematics and the transmigration of souls.	90	104
[8] Platonists 295 Followers of Plato, focusing on the world of ideal forms.	90	105
[9] Stoics 296 A school of philosophy that taught the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions.	91	105