Arguments based on Reason

Question 1

What is the Argument based on Reason called?

Answer 1

The Ontological Argument is an Argument based on Reason. it is A priori
- Rationalism

Question 2

Who developed the Ontological Argument? + dates

Answer 2

Saint Anselm
11th Century Catholic Theologian

Question 3

What is ‘Reductio ad absurdum’

Answer 3

Argument where something must be true because to deny it makes no sense - God must exists because to say he doesn’t makes no sense

Question 4

How many Ontological arguments did Anselm have?

Answer 4

2 (but icl they’re basically the same)

Question 5

Anselm’s first Argument

Answer 5

1. God is the greatest possible being which can be imagined
2. Something that exists in reality and in the mind is greater than something that only exists in the mind
3. Therefore, God must exist in reality as well as in the mind

Question 6

Quote from Anselm describing nature of God e.g. Greatness of God

Answer 6

“God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived”

Question 7

What is Anselm’s Second argument

Answer 7

1. God is the being that which nothing greater can be conceived
2. Something that can be though to exists is greater than something which can be thought not to exist
3. Therefore, it is impossible to think this being cannot exists
4. This being is God

Question 8

Analytical vs Synthetic Statements

Answer 8

Analytical statement - A statement which is true by definition or impossible to think is false
Synthetic statement - A statements which depends on evidence to be proven true of false

Question 9

For Anselm what type of statement is “God’s existence” (think synthetic or …)

Answer 9

God’s existence is an analytical truth - True by definition - as it is part of God’s nature that God exists

Question 10

Which contemporary Scholar Critiqued Anselm

Answer 10

Gaunilo - 11th Century Monk
–> sought to expose the absurdity of Anselm’s argument

• Gaunilo’s island
  1. The lost island is that which nothing greater can be conceived
  2. It is greater to exist in reality than merely as an idea
  3. If the lost island does not exist, a greater island can be conceived (one that does)
  4. Therefore, the lost island exists in reality

Question 11

What are 5 Critiques to Anselm’s Arguments (3 w/ scholar 2 not)

Answer 11

• Anselm’s defines things into existence. —> Takes existence of the concept of God and through defining necessary qualities of this concept jumps to Gods existence
• Anselm’s argument relies on our ability to reason things, God, beyond our understanding - not possible
• Pseudo-Dionysius - God is beyond human concepts cannot be understood + God is ‘beyond assertion and denial’ - Anselm is wrong to assert characteristic’s of God,
• Gaunilo’s island
  1. The lost island is that which nothing greater can be conceived
  2. It is greater to exist in reality than merely as an idea
  3. If the lost island does not exist, a greater island can be conceived (one that does)
  4. Therefore, the lost island exists in reality
  –> Designed to show absurdity of Anselm’s argument
• Aquinas - God’s nature is beyond our understanding, meaning people have different understanding’s of the greatest being - not all way we conceive God/ greatest possible being will be the same.

Question 12

What was Anselm’s clap back to Gaunilo + other critique’s?

Answer 12

Anselm’s response to Gaunilo’s Island
- Islands are contingent (depend on something else to exist e.g. underwater volcano) - God is necessary. Not the Same

+ response to idea we cannot understand God therefore cannot reason him
–> Anselm stated we cannot fully know God, but we can still understand parts of him e.g. him as the greatest conceivable thing; we cannot stare directly at sun but can still see daylight

Question 13

Rene Descartes Ontological Argument + Dates

Answer 13

17th Century
1. God is a supremely perfect being
2. A property of perfection is existence
3. Therefore, God exists

Question 14

What is Kant’s argument against Descartes? (also works for Anselm)

Answer 14

Existence of God is not a logical predicate
- Existence is not a quality that can be a logical predicate –> existence may be part of concept of God, but does not prove existence of God by itself
- Necessary propositions are only true if such being exists
–> If God exists then he must be necessary, but Anselm + Descartes fail to show a necessary being exists

Question 15

Norman Malcom’s Ontological argument + Critique ?

Answer 15

20th Century

God either exists or does not exists
- If God exists then his existence must be necessary
- If God does not exist, then he cannot come into existence as that would make his dependent. If God does not exists then his existence in impossible
–> God’s existence is either necessary or impossible

• The Concept of God is not self-contradictory, and not impossible
  –> therefore God must exist necessarily

Critique
- Malcom’s argument relies on the coherency of the concept of God
–> This is debated through
- Paradox of the Stone
- Problem of Evil

Question 16

Alvin Plantinga’s Ontological Argument

Answer 16

Ontological argument utilising the modern many worlds theory.
- There are an Infinite number of possible worlds
- There is a possible world where a being of maximal greatness and maximal excellence exists
- If this being exists in one world, must exists in all (otherwise wouldn’t be greatest)
- Our world is a possible world –> therefore maximally great and maximally excellent being exists in our world
–> Therefore, God exists

Question 17

David Hume on the Ontological Argument

Answer 17

18th Century Sceptic

• Hume states necessary existence does not exists
  –> Ontological arguments ignore the disconnect between logically true and factually true
• Necessary beings such as God can be proved logically true, but not factually true