2. Ontological Argument

Question 1

who created

Answer 1

Anselm 11th century

Question 2

ontology

Answer 2

study of nature of being, existence or reality

Question 3

the argument

Answer 3

a priori
analytic
deductive
rational argument relying on logic
God exists ‘analytically true

Question 4

who was he replying to

Answer 4

pslam 14 ‘the fool says in his heart ‘there is no God’

Question 5

how did he interpret this text

Answer 5

irrational person - therefore rational way to prove God’s existence

Question 6

proslogium 2 + conclusion

Answer 6

1. God is that then which nothing greater can be conceived
2. God may exist in the mind alone or in the mind and in reality aswell
3. something that exists in the mind and reality is greater than something that exists in mind alone
4. God must exist in reality
   so if God s defined as the greatest possible being he has to exist as something that exists only in mind something better can exist

Question 7

how does he define existence

Answer 7

predicate of God
intrinsic quality of something

Question 8

proslogium 3

Answer 8

argument about Gods existence is necessary - no possibility of God not existing
1. God is that then which nothing greater can be conceived
2. if he exists as a contingent being and so can be imagined not to exist then a greater being can be conceived
3. a necessary God would be greater than a contingent God
4. God is a necessary being

Question 9

Gaunilos argument

Answer 9

argument is fallacious
things can’t be defined into existence
anyone can think of a perfect island
doesn’t mean it exists

Question 10

alvin plantinga

Answer 10

islands have no intrinsic maximum - island can always be bettered not like arguing for perfection itself.
God is maximally great
God and island not compatible
island doesn’t have to exist
inseams logic applies which is necessary not to contingent things
can’t think of greatest possible being not existing would be contradictory

Question 11

Russell

Answer 11

attacks syllogism
uses existence incorrectly
If existence were a predicate then
1. donkeys exist
2. eyesore is a donkey
3. therefore eyesore exists
existence not a predicate

Question 12

Barth

Answer 12

Anselm arresting those who already believe
‘I do not seek in order to believe but I believe in order to understand’
he got this view from religious experience
believing comes before reasoning but allows for reasoning

Question 13

Norman Malcolm

Answer 13

supports Anselm
argues God is either impossible or necessary
since existence of God is not self contradictory or logically absurd his existence is not impossible
God necessarily exists

Question 14

Kant

Answer 14

rejects
arguments for God must be synthetic requiring empirical validation
1. existence is not a predicate
x exists gives no information and is meaningless
2. Tautology as it assumes what it is trying to prove
agreed gaunilo can’t define things into existence

Question 15

Positives - 5

Answer 15

1. deductive - if works provides proof rather than probability
2. has been developed - past criticisms haven’t defeated it
3. shows faith is rational
4. supports faith for theists
5. definition allows for mystery - which would make sense

Question 16

Negatives - 5

Answer 16

1. kants tautological argument is persuasive
2. most people look for empirical validation for God
3. since we don’t know God hard to make definition - undermines argument as limiting to definition
4. Anselm didn’t intend to prove God
5. only persuasive to those who believe