Arguments based on reason Flashcards
Anselm of Canterbery summary
11th-12th century Christian Monk
What argument did Anselm propose?
the ontological argument
Ontological argument summary
God can be defined as the greatest possible being
Things in reality are greater than in our imagination
Therefore, God exists
Gaunilo summary?
Christian Monk
Contemporary of Anselm
Gaunilo critique?
Lost Island critique:
I am imagining an island
It is the greatest possible island
Things in reality are greater than in fiction
Therefore, this Island exists
Anselm’s rebuttal to Gaunilo?
Doesn’t work as God is a necessary being and an Island is contingent
Weak argument as it just says God exists because God exists
Kant summary
18-19th century Philosopher
Kant’s rebuttal to Anselm?
Kant in ‘Critique of Pure Reason’
Existence is not a predicate
Meaning it is not a characteristic so not something that God can have
Norman Malcolm summary?
20th century Christian Philosopher
How did Malcolm rebuttal Kant?
Said that God is different as he has necessary existence
Weak argument as it again just says ‘God exists because he has to exist’
Arguments for a priori arguments being better?
sense experience is subjective and deceptive
hard to disprove e.g. hard to disprove that all triangles have 3 sides
Arguments for a posteriori arguments being better?
Sometimes logic is flawed e.g. Theseus Paradox
Descartes’ version of the ontological argument?
God is a ‘supremely perfect being’
God is like the mountain and existence is like the valley
Even if you can imagine these things not existing, they still go together
Therefore, God exists
