Gaunilos Onto Critique

Question 1

Title of arg.

Answer 1

‘On behalf of the fool’

Reference to Anselm quote “Fools say in their heart, there is no God.”

Question 2

First: rejection of definition.

Answer 2

Gaunilo points out that it is impossible for us to imagine a fully perfect being.
As things in our world are far from perfect.
Our sense show us nothing is perfect, and can always be improved.

Question 3

Second: The lost island

Answer 3

Gaunilo said if he asked a friend to I imagine the most perfect island.
If his friend says it would be more perfect if it existed.
Then, according to Anselms arg, that island must exist.
If the onto proves the existence of an imaginary island, it must be flawed.
U cannot define something into existence.

Question 4

Anselms response

Answer 4

Anselm says you cannot compare an island w God.
The islands existence is Contingent-It will have a begging in or end.
By contrast, God is unique and eternal, He is Necessary.
Making it logically impossible for God to not exist.

Question 5

A Necessary truth

Example

Answer 5

A widow is a woman whose husband has died.

By definition the sentence has to be true.

Question 6

Anselms Second Arg

Answer 6

Which is greater?
A God which can be thought of as not existing.
A God which cannot be thought of not existing.
Anselm thought the second to be true, and therefore logically proved gods existence is necessary.