Anselm’s Ontological Argument Flashcards
What type of argument is Anselm’s ontological argument?
•A priori-It’s based on logic and thinking alone, not on experience or observation e.g. You don’t have to go outside to know that “a triangle has three sides” you just think about the definition
•Analytic – It’s true just by the meaning of the words e.g. “A bachelor is an unmarried man” is analytic—you know it’s true just by understanding the definition
•Deductive – If the starting point (the premises) is true, the conclusion must be true
What is the ontological argument?
The Ontological Argument, proposed by St Anselm, is a deductive argument that uses a priori reasoning and posits that the very concept of God as the greatest conceivable being necessitates His existence in reality
How does St Anselm use his definition of God to prove his existence?
-First formulated by St Anselm, the argument begins with the definition of God as “that than which nothing greater can be conceived”
-From this, Anselm reasons that a God who exists in both the mind and in reality is greater than one who exists only in the mind
-Therefore, if we can conceive of God as the greatest possible being, He must exist in reality—otherwise, He would not be the greatest
How is the ontological argument A priori?
-What sets the Ontological Argument apart is that it is entirely a priori—it does not depend on any experience, evidence, or the physical world, but instead works through careful reasoning alone. For some, this gives the argument a unique strength: if its logic is sound, the conclusion follows necessarily, offering more certainty than arguments based on probability
-In this way, the Ontological Argument reflects the idea that belief in God can be rooted not just in faith or the senses, but in the structure of thought itself—making it a powerful example of philosophy’s attempt to reach religious truth through reason
What are 2 strength of the ontological argument?
-One strength of the Ontological Argument is that it offers a distinctively rational approach to proving God’s existence by relying solely on logic and the definition of God, rather than any observation of the world (anselm’s definition etc.)
-it defines God in a way that ensures His existence is necessary rather than contingent
How does Anselm present God as necessary rather than contingent ?
-Unlike contingent beings, which exist but could also fail to exist, God is described as existing by definition—His non-existence is impossible. -Anselm reinforces this idea when he states that God “cannot be conceived not to exist,” showing that God’s existence is built into His very nature
-This gives the argument philosophical depth, as it moves beyond the idea of God as just a very powerful being and instead presents Him as the foundation of all existence
Who was René Descartes?
-A 17th century French philosopher
How does René Descartes support the idea that God is a necessary being and not contingent?
-Descartes supports this idea, stating that “existence can no more be separated from the essence of God than the idea of mountains can be separated from the idea of valleys,” meaning that existence is as essential to God as shape is to geometry
-By presenting God as a necessary being, the Ontological Argument avoids the idea that God is just one possible being among many. Instead, it positions God as the foundation of all being—unchanging, eternal, and independent
-By grounding God’s existence in necessity, the Ontological Argument offers a concept of God that is consistent with classical theism—eternal, self-sufficient, and uncaused—and provides a logical explanation for why God must exist, rather than might exist
Why may the ontological argument be better than the design or cosmological?
The Ontological Argument offers a logically necessary conclusion, while the Cosmological and Design as inductive and a posterior’s Arguments can only ever suggest a highly probable cause
