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Description
Flashcards by Malachy Moran-Tun, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Malachy Moran-Tun
almost 2 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| Briefly, what is the Ontological Argument? | bad. (or) > Deductive, a prori argument (i.e., if all the premises are correct, the conclusion must be correct) > Analytic - argues to be true by definition > Rests on the premise that there is a contingent Universe, so the explanation of the Universe is necessary |
| Who are the Key Thinkers and Documents for the Ontological Argument? | > Anselm (1033 - 1109) (Archbishop of Canterbury between 1093 - 1109) > Proslogion 2 and 3 (1078) > Normal Malcolm (1911 - 1990) > The Philosophical Review (1960) > René Descartes (1595 - 1650) |
| What Definition does Anselm Give for God? | "that than which nothing greater can be conceived" |
| What does Anselm Argue Existence is? | > A perfection (same category as goodness, wisdom etc.) > A predicate (attribute) > Can be possessed or lacked - and it is greater to possess it than lack it > Existence can be in re (in reality) or in intellectu (in the mind) |
| How does Anselm Argue that God Must Exist? | > Definition of God - must possess all perfections > Existence is a perfection - possessing it is greater than not (i.e., existing in re > in intellectu) > Since God must possess all perfections, and existence is one of those perfections, he must exist |
| What Analogy does Anselm Give for Existence In Re vs In Intellectu? | > Painter analogy > If a painter imagines what they are going to make beforehand, they have a clear idea of what it may be > It cannot be said to exist until the painting has been painted (i.e., it only exist in intellectu) > Once the painting has been created, it is undeniably greater than if it was simply in the mind (i.e., in re > in intellectu) |
| What is Anselm's Ontological Argument for God's Existence being Necessary? | Pretty much the same, but for necessary existence > Definition of God - possesses all perfections > Contingent beings are inferior to necessary beings (since they depend on other things for existence) > Therefore, God must necessarily exist |
| Why does Anselm Argue that God's Existence is a "Logical Necessity"? | (allegedly...) > Logical contradiction to claim that God does not exist - reductio ad absurdum - demonstrate the absurdity of God not existing > Any being to have the property of necessary existence cannot fail to exist > God's existence is de dicto necessary (by definition) |
| What was Malcolm's Development of the Ontological Argument? | > Sides with Gaunilo and Kant's objections > You cannot add the concept of existence to a list of qualities and claim it therefore exists > Sympathises with Anselm's "necessary" argument in Proslogion 3 > If God does not exist, He cannot come into existence, since then He would have been caused to come into existence, or happened to come into existence > Either way, this would make God a limited being (against the definition of God) > Therefore, if God exists, His existence is necessary, otherwise, His existence is impossible > God's existence cannot be impossible since the concept of an impossible, but all perfect being, is self-contradictory and logically absurd > God must exist |
| What was Descartes' Development of the Ontological Argument? | > Definition of God is a being that possesses all perfections (implying that God possesses the best form of all attributes) > Descartes includes existence as one of these perfections > Without possessing existence, God would not be the supremely perfect being > Similar to Anselm's first argument, yet uses a positive definition, rather than a negative one |
| What Analogies did Descartes Provides to Support his Ontological Argument? | > Triangle: by definition, a triangle has 3 angles (no way!), but this does not necessarily mean that this shape exists in reality, but conceptually it requires 3 angles > With God, even conceptually, it is impossible to think of Him without considering the attribute of existence as a necessary part of the definition - the concept includes existence, just as the concept of a triangle includes 3 angles > Mountains and valleys: a mountain cannot exist (conceptually or in reality) without a corresponding valley, or visa-versa, since that would be a plateau instead. > God cannot conceptually exist without the predicate of existence |
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