Evaluating Arguments from Reason
Evaluating the Ontological Argument:
Agree Disagree
● Definition of God (Anselm) - ● Perfect Lost Island (Gaunilo) -
Defining God as, “That than which Gaunilo made a reductio ad
nothing greater can be conceived”, absurdum argument to criticise
Anselm claims that the proposition Anselm’s reasoning. We can
‘God exists’ is analytic. Since things conceive of a Perfect Lost Island,
that exist in reality and in the mind that than which no greater island
are greater than those that exist in can be conceived. Such an island
only the mind, God must exist to would be even greater if it exists in
fulfil this definition. reality, but that doesn’t mean it does
exist in reality.
● Painting Example (Anselm) -
Anselm uses the example of a Counter : Islands are Contingent
painting envisioned in a painter’s (Anselm), An island is contingent
mind and the same painting after and the island’s nonexistence is not
being reproduced in reality to argue contradictory, but God’s existence is
that things that exist in reality are necessary. An island is only ‘perfect’
greater than those that exist only in in comparison to other islands that
the mind. exist
● Necessary Existence (Anselm) - Counter : Indefinable Concept
Anselms furthered his argument in (Plantinga), an island has no
response to Gaunilo, asking what is intrinsic maxim, meaning it can
greater, a God that could possibly always be improved, however God
not exist (contingent) or a God that has an intrinsic maxim - he is the
could not possibly not exist greatest conceivable being and
(necessary). By Anselm’s definition cannot be greater
of God, God must be necessary.
Counter Counter : Misses the
● Supremely Perfect Being Analogy, even if the analogy of an
(Descartes) - According to Island fails, Gaunilo’s point is that
Descartes, God is a ‘supremely Anselm doesn’t prove God actually
perfect being’, that has all exists, just that if God existed then
perfections. Descartes claims that his existence would be necessary
existence is one of these
perfections, and so God must have ● Experience to Understand
existence. God’s existence is (Gaunilo) - It is easier to have an
necessary in the same way that a understanding of an island or a man
triangle having three sides is because we have experience of
necessary these things, but we cannot claim to
understand God with any certainty
Counter : Circular Reasoning,
Defines God as something that is ● God’s Transcendence
necessary to argue that he exists (Pseudo-Dionysius) - God is
simply beyond any human concepts
Evaluating the Ontological Argument:
Agree Disagree
● Definition of God (Anselm) - ● Perfect Lost Island (Gaunilo) -
Defining God as, “That than which Gaunilo made a reductio ad
nothing greater can be conceived”, absurdum argument to criticise
Anselm claims that the proposition Anselm’s reasoning. We can
‘God exists’ is analytic. Since things conceive of a Perfect Lost Island,
that exist in reality and in the mind that than which no greater island
are greater than those that exist in can be conceived. Such an island
only the mind, God must exist to would be even greater if it exists in
fulfil this definition. reality, but that doesn’t mean it does
exist in reality.
● Painting Example (Anselm) -
Anselm uses the example of a Counter : Islands are Contingent
painting envisioned in a painter’s (Anselm), An island is contingent
mind and the same painting after and the island’s nonexistence is not
being reproduced in reality to argue contradictory, but God’s existence is
that things that exist in reality are necessary. An island is only ‘perfect’
greater than those that exist only in in comparison to other islands that
the mind. exist
● Necessary Existence (Anselm) - Counter : Indefinable Concept
Anselms furthered his argument in (Plantinga), an island has no
response to Gaunilo, asking what is intrinsic maxim, meaning it can
greater, a God that could possibly always be improved, however God
not exist (contingent) or a God that has an intrinsic maxim - he is the
could not possibly not exist greatest conceivable being and
(necessary). By Anselm’s definition cannot be greater
of God, God must be necessary.
Counter Counter : Misses the
● Supremely Perfect Being Analogy, even if the analogy of an
(Descartes) - According to Island fails, Gaunilo’s point is that
Descartes, God is a ‘supremely Anselm doesn’t prove God actually
perfect being’, that has all exists, just that if God existed then
perfections. Descartes claims that his existence would be necessary
existence is one of these
perfections, and so God must have ● Experience to Understand
existence. God’s existence is (Gaunilo) - It is easier to have an
necessary in the same way that a understanding of an island or a man
triangle having three sides is because we have experience of
necessary these things, but we cannot claim to
understand God with any certainty
Counter : Circular Reasoning,
Defines God as something that is ● God’s Transcendence
necessary to argue that he exists (Pseudo-Dionysius) - God is
simply beyond any human concepts
