ONTOLOGICAL

Question 1

what type of argument is the ontological argument?

Answer 1

deductive, analytical a-priori argument- derived from definition

Question 2

summarise Anselm’s ontological argument (Ps and Cs)

Answer 2

P1 by definition, God is the greatest being which nothing greater can be conceived.
P2 we have a clear idea of god being the greatest possible being
P3 it is greater to exist in reality than just mind
C1 therefore God must exist

Question 3

summarise Descarte’s ontological argument

Answer 3

P1 we have an idea of god being the most perfect being which nothing more perfect can be conceived of
P2 A supremely perfect being lacks no perfections
P3 Existence is a perfection
C1 Therefore god exists

He argues that “God does not exist” is a logical contradiction”

Question 4

what is Hume’s response to “god does not exist is a logical contradiction”?

Answer 4

• a contradiction cannot be coherently conceived
• we can coherently conceive god as non existent
• therefore, it isn’t a contradiction

if this is not a contradiction then the ontological argument has failed to prove god exists is an analytic truth

Question 5

KANT on existence isn’t a predicate

Answer 5

To say something exists, does not add any understanding.
Imagine a unicorn, and a unicorn that doesn’t exist, what’s the difference between the two ideas? Nothing! Adding existence to a definition does not make it exist.

Question 6

Norman Malcoms ontological argument