Ontological arguments
OCR A-level religious studies
Ontological arguments claim that we can prove God's existence simply because it is in his nature to
exist; existence is a predicate of God, and therefore it is impossible for him not to exist. These are a
priori arguments, based on reason without the need for evidence.
Anslem put forward his ontological argument in his book ‘Proslogian’. His work was based on a belief
that faith precedes understanding, and so an understanding of God is a consequence of a belief in
him, not something that precedes him, as this would be a logical fallacy. He said ‘I believe so that I
may understand’.
His argument comes in 2 forms, the first of these being that God is ‘that than which nothing greater
can be thought’. He argued that even someone who denies God exists believes the definition of God
OCR A-level religious studies
Ontological arguments claim that we can prove God's existence simply because it is in his nature to
exist; existence is a predicate of God, and therefore it is impossible for him not to exist. These are a
priori arguments, based on reason without the need for evidence.
Anslem put forward his ontological argument in his book ‘Proslogian’. His work was based on a belief
that faith precedes understanding, and so an understanding of God is a consequence of a belief in
him, not something that precedes him, as this would be a logical fallacy. He said ‘I believe so that I
may understand’.
His argument comes in 2 forms, the first of these being that God is ‘that than which nothing greater
can be thought’. He argued that even someone who denies God exists believes the definition of God
