Ontological argument
Anslem
Meant as a prayer
Anyone who denies God is a fool as to deny God is to know what
God is- they have to understand God to reject him.
The definition of God is that which nothing greater can be thought
of- greatest possible being.
Anything that exists in reality is better than something that exists
only in the mind (Painting analogy)
Therefore God has to exist in reality as he is the greatest possible
being.
Second formulation
Contingent beings- those can not exist
Necessary beings- those that cannot not exist
Necessary beings are obviously better than contingent beings- God
must be necessary
If God is necessary then he cant not exist- therefore God exists.
Gaunilo’s response
‘on behalf of the fool’
The perfect island
He says to imagine a lost- but perfect Island somewhere in the
ocean.
If you were told about the island you can imagine it
If you where then told that logically the island must exist as it is
better to exist in reality rather than the mind.
You would not feel anyone had proven to you that the island exists.
Other points
We can imagine unreal objects in our mind- doesn’t make them real.
You cannot define something into existence
Nothing can be fully understood from description alone- we will all
think of different things
Anselm response
You cannot define God as the greatest possible being and then say
he doesn’t have to exist- it’s a contradiction.
Accues Gaunilo of misplacing his logic- Anslem was not talking of
any object- he was talking of God, a necessary being- an island is
contingent.
Descartes
God is a supremely perfect being
Necessary existence is a perfection
Therefore God is a necessary being- therefore exists
Anslem
Meant as a prayer
Anyone who denies God is a fool as to deny God is to know what
God is- they have to understand God to reject him.
The definition of God is that which nothing greater can be thought
of- greatest possible being.
Anything that exists in reality is better than something that exists
only in the mind (Painting analogy)
Therefore God has to exist in reality as he is the greatest possible
being.
Second formulation
Contingent beings- those can not exist
Necessary beings- those that cannot not exist
Necessary beings are obviously better than contingent beings- God
must be necessary
If God is necessary then he cant not exist- therefore God exists.
Gaunilo’s response
‘on behalf of the fool’
The perfect island
He says to imagine a lost- but perfect Island somewhere in the
ocean.
If you were told about the island you can imagine it
If you where then told that logically the island must exist as it is
better to exist in reality rather than the mind.
You would not feel anyone had proven to you that the island exists.
Other points
We can imagine unreal objects in our mind- doesn’t make them real.
You cannot define something into existence
Nothing can be fully understood from description alone- we will all
think of different things
Anselm response
You cannot define God as the greatest possible being and then say
he doesn’t have to exist- it’s a contradiction.
Accues Gaunilo of misplacing his logic- Anslem was not talking of
any object- he was talking of God, a necessary being- an island is
contingent.
Descartes
God is a supremely perfect being
Necessary existence is a perfection
Therefore God is a necessary being- therefore exists
