Chapter 17 Summary

Beneditx is bothered that his first attempts at proofs failed to convince Palinor of God's existence. He worries for Palinor, as people who hear the truth of God yet denounce it are the worst types of heretics and deserving of death. Palinor does not have the excuse that he is stupid or has been misled.

Beneditx is still confident that he can convince Palinor through reason, and he has faith in the five proofs that Saint Thomas did believe were valid. He approaches Palinor for another try.

With great eagerness, Beneditx first tells Palinor that everything in nature moves, which means everything must be moved by something else. Likewise, one thing causes another in the sensible world. The chains of movement and causation must be traced back to a single source, which is God. Beneditx adds a third proof, stating that at one...