36676989
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 |
| What Key Thinkers and Documents Critiqued the Ontological Argument? | > Gaunilo of Marmoutier (994 - 1083) > "On behalf of the fool" (in response to Anselm's use of "fool" in the Ontological argument) > Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804) |
| What was Gaunilo's Critique of Anselm's Ontological Argument? | > Reductio ad absurdum > Satirises Anselm's argument: - The definition of a perfect island must include existing "both in the understanding and in reality", since "any land which really exists will be more excellent than it" - Therefore, this perfect island must exist, as otherwise it would not be, by definition, perfect > Essentially, just because you can define God as the greatest possible being doesn't mean He automatically exists |
| What is the Criticism of Gaunilo's Critique? | > Gaunilo focuses on comparing a contingent island to God > A contingent island does not possess intrinsic maximum (i.e., all perfections) > God is a necessary being, who therefore can possess the intrinsic maximum |
| What was Kant's Critique of Anselm's Ontological Argument? | > Objected that existence was a predicate (i.e., a defining characteristic or attribute) > An object can possess or lack existence BUT this does not describe anything about the nature of the object > God being omni-xyz is a predicate, because it describes God's nature > Saying "God exists" does not provide more information about His nature |
| What Analogy did Kant Give for his Critique? | > Consider the predicates of 100 Thalers (gold coins) > What difference in understanding is held by adding "it exists" to that list of predicates (e.g., they are round, made of gold etc.) > Nothing changes despite adding this phrase - it adds nothing to our idea of objects |
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