  Ibn Daud deviates significantly from his predecessors since he does not deduce the existence of God from creation. In fact, as we shall later see, Ibn Daud has little to say on the issue of creation. Instead, his two proofs are based on Aristotle’s theory of motion, which presents a novelty in medieval Jewish thought. The first proof makes use of two theses that were proven in the sections on motion and infinity respectively: firstly, there is no motion without a mover, and secondly, the existence of an infinite series in actuality is impossible. On the basis of these premises, Ibn Daud establishes the existence of a first unmoved mover. Unlike Aristotle, however, he does not base the incorporeality and infinity of this first mover on the eternity of motion; an Aristotelian doctrine that he prefers to leave unmentioned. The second proof is based on the distinction between necessary and possible (or contingent) existents. The latter class of existents derives their existence from a cause. Since an infinite regress of causes is impossible, the series of contingent beings must end with the existence of an uncaused being who is called the Necessary Being and whose essence suffices for its existence. Evidently Ibn Daud considered the second to be a better proof than the first given that it yields a first principle of being, instead of merely a first principle of motion. The contrast with earlier Jewish philosophers also comes to the fore in Ibn Daud’s designations of God, such as “the first unmoved mover”, “the necessary being” or “the first cause” rather than “the Creator”. These appellations are wholly in line with his stated aim of guiding the reader to a philosophical conception of God. However, at the same time, it is evident that he identifies this first principle with the God of the Bible, an equation for which he does not provide any arguments.