Ontological Argument (Summary)

Ontological Argument (Summary)

1. Anselm of Canterbury

   • Starting point: Psalm 14:1, 'Fools say in their hearts, "there is no god"
   • Anselm's first ontological argument
     • Something which exists in reality and in mind is greater than something which exists as an idea in the mind alone. Therefore God must exist in reality and in the mind
     • Claims existence is a predicate of God
   • Anselm's second version of the argument
     • God's existence is necessary
     • The greatest possible being is what Christians mean by God
     • Some suggestions that Anselm was reflecting on, not proving, God existed necessarily
   • Gaunilo's response to Anselm's argument
     • Necessary existence is 'unintelligible'
     • You cannot define the idea into existence
     • Guanilo's perfect island
       • Whilst the perfect island can be conceived of, that doesn't mean it exists; the same reasoning applies to Anselm's onto arg
     • Anselm's possible reply to Guanilo:
       • G's argument is different, because the island, whilst being the greatest possible island, doesn't have to exist; its existence is contingent
       • Plantinga argued that God is maximally great in A's thought; therefore the greatest possible being and the greatest possible island are not comparable

2. Thomas Aquina

   • Rejected Anselm's argument as God's existence is not self-evident, human beings are not in a postition to understand God's nature

3. Descartes

   • Claimed there's idea of God in everyone; like a stamp/trademark
   • Some things can't be doubted, e.g. maths or God's existence
   • Demonstrating God's existence is about showing there's no reason to doubt that God exists
   • Triangles & Descartes' ontological argument
     • God and triangles have 'immutable' nature/essence
       • Part of God's essence is existence

4. Further Objections to the ontological argument

   • Kant argues that existence is not a 'predicate'
     • The part of a sentence/ cause containing a verb & stating something about the subject
     • Replies to Kant:
       • Charles Hartshorne- there's a big difference between an idea of God and God existing in reality as well
       • Norman Malcolm suggested that necessary existence could be a predicate of God
   • Pierre Gassendi argued that it's only relevant to discuss the perfection of something if it exists