Philosophy A Level - Existence of God Practice Questions and Answers

What is the ontological argument? An argument that God, because he is defined as the most great or perfect, must exist in both mind and body, since a God who exists is greater than a God who does not. Who wrote the ontological argument? Anselm What is the cosmological argument? An argument for the existence of God that claims that all things in nature depend on something else for their existence (i.e., are contingent), and that the whole cosmos must therefore itself depend on a being that exists independently or necessarily. who wrote the cosmological argument? St. Thomas Aquinas Who criticized the cosmological argument? David Hume What does Hume say about the Cosmological argument? Hume challenges the idea that just because one 'effect' in a chain has a 'cause' it does not follow that a whole series of cause and effect has a single cause. This is sometimes referred to as the fallacy of composition. Why can't the universe be eternal? Can't there be an infinite chain of cause and effect? Hume questions the assumption that an infinite series of causes and effects requires some explanation or cause for its existence Where does Thomas Aquinas write about the cosmological argument? Summa Theologica Where does Anselm write the ontological argument? Proslogian Who criticized the Ontological argument? Gaunillo, Aquinas, Kant and Hume What did Gaunilo criticize about the ontological argument? He made the idea of the perfect island. He suggested that, according to Anselm's proof, this island must necessarily exist, as an island that exists would be more excellent. It argues that if Anselm's argument is sound, so are many other arguments of the same logical form, which cannot be accepted. He offered a further criticism of Anselm's ontological argument, suggesting that the notion of God cannot be conceived, as Anselm had asserted. He argued that many theists would accept that God, by nature, cannot be fully comprehended. Therefore, if humans cannot fully conceive of God, the ontological argument cannot work.