Ontological argument Flashcards
What type of argument is the OA?
Deductive
What type of knowledge does the OA use?
A priori
What are synthetic statements?
Statements which can be empirically verified/falsified
What are analytical statements?
Statements which are true by definition and based on logic/reasoning
What is a subject?
The ‘who’ or ‘what/ the sentence is about
What is a predicate?
The quality/ new information about the subject
Identify the subject and the predicate in this sentence: Joe is bald
Subject = Joe
Predicate = bald
What is a necessary truth?
A proposition which could not possible be false
Give an example of a necessary truth
2+2 = 4
What is a necessary being?
A being which cannot not exist
What is a contingent being?
A being which relies on something else to exist
What is the OA based on?
Claim that God’s existence can be deduced from his definition
What happens when God is correctly defined?
There can be no doubt that he exists
How is the OA a deductive argument?
‘God exists’ is true without sense experience - can know it is true just by thinking about it
What is the subject and predicate in this sentence: God exists
Subject = God
Predicate = Exists
Anselm’s 1st argument as a syllogism
P1: God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived
P2: It is greater to exist in reality than to exist only in the mind
C: As the greatest conceivable being. God must exist in reality
What is Psalm 14:1?
The fool says in his heart there is no God
How does Anselm use Psalm 14:1 in his argument?
Even the fool understands in his mind, even though he does not understand it to exist in reality
What does Anselm mean by ‘greatest being’?
Omnipotent, omniscient etc
What was Gaunilo responding on behalf of?
On behalf of the fool
What analogy did Gaunilo use to criticise the OA?
The perfect lost island analogy
Island analogy as a syllogism?
P1: It is possible to conceive of the most perfect and real lost island
P2: It is greater to exist in reality than to exist only in the mind
C: The most perfect and lost island must exist in reality
What is reductio ad absurdum?
Argument to absurdity
What is Gaunilo suggesting about Anselm’s argument?
His argument can be used to prove the existence of an endless number of perfect objects
Finish the quote: God cannot be conceived not to exist …. That which can be conceived not to exist
is not God
Criticisms of Island analogy?
- An island is a contingent thing
- It is impossible to quantify the idea of a perfect island
- Your conception of the perfect island may change over time
Anselm’s second argument as a syllogism?
P1: God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived
P2: The greatest conceivable being cannot be conceived not to exist
C: God alone is a necessary being - God cannot not exist
Whose version of the Ontological argument was Kant criticising?
Descartes
What was Descartes’ definition of God?
God is ‘the supremely perfect being’
Explain this quote: Existence can no more be separated from the essence of God than the fact that its three angles equal two right angles can be separated from the essence of a triangle
A triangle has 3 sides with 2 equal right angles cannot be disputed
In the same way God cannot be disputed
Explain Kant’s first criticism: Existence is not a predicate
Real predicates give us new knowledge of a subject. Exists tells you nothing of the existence of ‘it’
Kant’s first criticism: Existence is not a predicate - what example did he use?
Thalers - a coin used during Kant’s time. Real predicates would be ‘bronze, round, metallic’
Kant’s second criticism: God exists necessarily - explain
God exists necessarily is logically true but doesn’t mean that God actually exists in reality
How can we fix the Ontological argument?
By adding the word ‘if’ - ‘if’ there is a God then God exists necessarily
Strength: Deductive argument
Deductive arguments are 100% true if the premises are true
Strength: Does not rely on empirical experience
Empirical evidence can be flawed/can change and is not always reliable
Strength: Aide to faith
Karl Barth: OA can help people express their faith
Proof: Deductive argument?
Deductive arguments are 100% true if the premise is true
Proof: A priori?
True by definition rather than relying on empirical evidence
