Epistemology: 05. Descartes Ontological Argument Flashcards
What is the main conclusion of Descartes’ Cosmological Argument?
Therefore, God exists.
What is required to keep an individual in existence according to Descartes?
Some cause.
What does Descartes argue about the chain of causes?
There cannot be an infinite chain of causes.
Who does Descartes claim does not keep him in existence?
My parents or any other supposed cause.
What is the aim of learning Descartes’ ontological argument?
To consider what this argument does for the intuition and deduction thesis.
What are clear and distinct ideas according to Descartes?
Ideas that can be known to be true.
What does ‘clear’ mean in the context of Descartes’ ideas?
Present and accessible to the attentive mind.
What does ‘distinct’ mean in the context of Descartes’ ideas?
Every part is clear, sharply separated from other ideas.
According to Descartes, what must the necessity of a proposition create?
Ascension.
What does Descartes claim about the nature of God?
It belongs to God’s nature that he always exists.
What logical conclusion does Descartes derive from the idea of a supremely perfect being?
Therefore, God exists.
What is Hume’s objection to Descartes’ argument?
Nothing that is distinctly conceivable implies a contradiction.
What does Hume argue about existence and non-existence?
Whatever we conceive as existent, we can also conceive as non-existent.
What must be true if ‘God does not exist’ is a contradiction according to Hume?
‘God exists’ must be a relation of ideas.
What type of claims does Hume assert exist about existence?
Matters of fact.
What does Descartes claim about divine perfections?
All divine perfections entail each other.
What does Descartes conclude about God’s existence based on omnipotence?
God must have necessary existence.
According to Gaunilo’s objection, when does Descartes’ argument only work?
Only if God exists.
What does Gaunilo argue regarding the concept of existence and God?
The interdependence of perfections shows that the concept of existence is part of the concept of God.
Which objection is stronger, Hume’s or Gaunilo’s?
This is subjective; the answer may vary.
Fill in the blank: The idea of God is the idea of a _______.
supremely perfect being.
