Ontological Argument

Question 1

who is for the ontological argument

Answer 1

Anselm
descartes
platinga

Question 2

who is against the ontological argument

Answer 2

gaunilo
aquinas
hume
kant
Russell

Question 3

what is aquinas’ definition of God in his first form

Answer 3

a being than which nothing greater can be conceived

Question 4

why must God exist (Anselm)

Answer 4

must exist to fit definition else it would be contradictory

Question 5

Anselm’s argument premise 1-3

Answer 5

P1 by definition, God is a being than which nothing greater can be conceived

P2 both believers and non-believers accept this - even the ‘fool’ Psalm 14

P3 God therefore exists in our minds

Question 6

Anselm’s argument premise 4-6

Answer 6

P4 something can exist in the mind alone, or mind and reality

P5 greater to exist in mind and reality

P6 therefore, God would be greater if he existed, not just in the mind

Question 7

Anselm’s argument premise 7 and conclusion

Answer 7

P7 if God did not exist in reality, can’t fit definition

C therefore, God must exist in reality as well as mind

Question 8

who rejects Anselm

Answer 8

Gaunilo

Question 9

on what grounds does Gaunilo reject Anselm on

Answer 9

Anselm suggests that by defining God, you can be certain of his existence

Absurd, could define anything into existence

No proof of God

Question 10

what is Gaunilo’s island analogy

Answer 10

‘lost island’ beautiful, tranquil, perfect

because island is the best of islands, it would be better if it existed

in order for it to be perfect, must exist

Question 11

2 premise argument for Gaunilo’s analogy

Answer 11

P1 we can imagine an island which is the greatest conceivable island

P2 it’s greater to exist in reality than merely in understanding

C therefore, greatest conceivable island must exist in reality

Question 12

what is Anselm’s response to Gaunilo

Answer 12

God and island are not the same
there’s more to God than just existence
God is a necessary being

Question 13

what makes gaunilo not successful (Anselm)

Answer 13

he doesn’t understand God is necessary

cannot be conceived as not existing

Question 14

what is the problem with Anselm’s first form

Answer 14

may give us proof if God’s existence, but could suggest God is not necessary and is just a being

Question 15

what does Anselm want to prove

Answer 15

that God is necessary and there is no possibility of him not existing

Question 16

what is God for Anselm (not the definition)

Answer 16

eternal
not limited by time
he is greater than a being who goes in and out of existent

Question 17

what is the 4 premise argument for Anselm’s second form

Answer 17

P1 God is the greatest possible being

P2 it is greater to be necessary than just existing

P3 if God was contingent and we can imagine he would not exist, then a greater being can be imagined that cannot be conceived to not exist

P4 this would be greater than God

C therefore, God is a necessary being

Question 18

What is Descartes’ definition of God

Answer 18

‘a supremely perfect being’

Question 19

what part of God does Descartes focus on

Answer 19

God’s essence and the relationship between essence and existence

Question 20

What is Descartes’ idea of God + e.g.

Answer 20

clear and distinct which includes his existence

e.g. the idea of triangle includes having 3 angles

Question 21

what is God’s existence for Descartes

Answer 21

a necessary predicate of God

Question 22

what is the 4 premise argument of Descartes

Answer 22

P1 God is the supremely perfect being

P2 a supremely perfect being contains all the perfections

P3 existence is a supreme perfection

C therefore God, as a supremely perfect being exists

Question 23

Descartes quote about existence

Answer 23

‘existence is inseparable from God’

Question 24

what does Descartes claim

Answer 24

he has correctly understood properties involved in the essence of God

Question 25

How does Descartes claim he has correctly understood properties involved in the essence of God + e.g.

Answer 25

we can think we know something about the essential nature of a shape, but it one case we are right and in the other we are mistaken

e.g. someone thinking all 4-sided shapes can be inscribed in a circle

Question 26

how can we tell the difference between beliefs for Descartes

Answer 26

there’s a difference between beliefs based on ‘clearly and distinctly’

perceiving the truth and others not based on such clear and distinct understanding

as long as we accept only what we see as clear and distinct to be the case, we probably won’t make mistakes

Question 27

what does Descartes say he has

Answer 27

a clear and distinct conception of God’s existence