Ontological (A Priori)

Question 1

What is the ontological argument?

Answer 1

A priori about the analysis of the concept of God. Deductive and reason based. ST ANSELM’S ARGUMENT and GUANILOS RESPONSE

Question 2

4 points of ontological argument

Answer 2

P1. God is the greatest conceivable being (by definition)
P2. It is greater to exist in reality than the mind alone
P3. God exists in the mind
C1. Therefore, God exists in reality

Question 3

Strengths of ontological argument

Answer 3

-theoretically and philosophically convincing definition of God. even atheists would admit that that is the definition of God, whether they believe or not. Even if we do not know God, we understand he is the greatest conceivable being.
-a priori and deductive nature.

Question 4

Criticisms to ontological argument

Answer 4

-only applicable to God due to it’s response brought about by Guanilo
-Kant argues that existence is not a predicate. It is not a characteristic of God.
-Doesn’t mean that God actually exists. Absurd doesn’t imply existence.

Question 5

Anselm’s criticism about P£ - greatest conceivable being existing in our minds

Answer 5

Christian premise that God is beyond our understanding, so can we really have him in our mind?

“Perhaps not everyone who hears this word “God” understands it to signify something than which nothing greater can be thought” – Aquinas.

Question 6

‘Lost island’ response to Anselm

Answer 6

Greater for the perfect island to exist in reality, therefore it must exist. Same for a perfect member of any category. Doesn’t mean that it exists.

Question 7

Anselm’s response to Guanilo

Answer 7

P1. God is that which nothing greater can be conceived.
P2. Contingent beings are inferior to necessary beings.
P3. God is inferior to nothing else.
P4. God is necessary

Question 8

Who developed Anselm’s argument?

Answer 8

Descartes. Descartes’ ontological argument functions through intuition rather than argument. Nonetheless he did put it into the form of a deductive argument:

P1 – I have an idea of a supremely perfect being which contains all perfections
P2 – Existence is a perfection
C3 – God exists

Question 9

Who developed Guanilo’s objections?

Answer 9

Kant. A priori reasoning cannot establish existence. Only succeeds in saying that if God exists, then He exists necessarily.
Also Anselm and Descartes treat existence as a predicate. It is not.