Ontological argument

Question 1

A priori

Answer 1

Knowledge before experience

Question 2

A posteriori

Answer 2

Knowledge after experience

Question 3

Inductive

Answer 3

If the premise is right the conclusion is probable

Question 4

Deductive

Answer 4

If the premise is right the conclusion is right

Question 5

Predicate

Answer 5

An intrinsic property or quality of something .. existence is a predicate of God

Question 6

Ontological argument

Answer 6

A deductive argument for the existence of God based on a priori knowledge the conclusion is implied directly

Question 7

essense of the ontological argument

Answer 7

Something is greater if it exists than if it doesn’t . If God is the greatest thing imaginable .. He must exist

Question 8

Anslem

Answer 8

Archbishop of Canterbury , tried to explore as a Christian what faith in God was all about he started by defining God as “ that which nothing greater can be thought”
He sets this argument in his book Proslogoin

Question 9

First form of the OA

Answer 9

God is that which nothing greater can be thought. A real existent being would be greater than an imaginary , illusionary being . Therefore the concept of God is surpassed by an actual existent God

Question 10

Second form of OA

Answer 10

Contingent beings are inferior to beings with necessary existence , bcs God is unsurpassable in every way he must have necessary existence .. therefore God exists necessarily. God must exist because a necessary being cannot fail to exist only contingent being do that . Necessary existence in Anselm’s view is a part of the definition of God

Question 11

Analytic proposition

Answer 11

True by definition there is nothing we need to do to test it , it can be arrived at through deduction
For Anselm God exists in a priori analytic statement

Question 12

Anselm on non-believers/fools

Answer 12

Anselm would say that even the fool would agree with his definition of God (that which nothing greater can be conceived ) so the fool would have the concept of God in mind but the fool does not believe He exists .
For Anselm there is a universal understanding of God regardless of belief in His existence and as existence in reality is better than imagination God exists

Question 13

Judgement :
is existence in reality always better ?

Answer 13

Things like the holocaust would be much better in imagination

Question 14

Gaunilo background

Answer 14

Monk and contemporary of Anselm who rejected Anselm’s idea in his works ‘ on behalf of the fool ‘

Question 15

The Perfect Island

Answer 15

We can think of a perfect island e.g .. lots of shade , clear blue water , hot but not excruciatingly hot but that does not mean this island exists. We cannot wish things into existence in the case of Anselm he can’t wish God into existence simply because he thinks of God

Question 16

Anselm’s response

Answer 16

God is necessary whilst islands are contingent so are incomparable. There isn’t anything we can think about that is greater than God . The OA only works when applied to God because God exists in a different way form everything else

Question 17

Alvin Plantiga

Answer 17

No matter how great an island is there could be a greater one , qualities of a greatness for an island do not have a maximum so the idea of the greatest possible island is an incoherent idea . God is maximally great in Anselm’s mind so the OA works

Question 18

Aquinas / OA is not useful

Answer 18

We do not share an understating Of what God is furthermore for Aquinas humans are not in a position to understand God’s nature it needs to demonstrated by things known to us e.g the world ( TO + CO)

Question 19

Descartes OA

Answer 19

Wanted to establish and argument based on certainty.. God exists to guarantee what can be know . God existence is as necessary as a triangle has to have three sides

Question 20

Triangles and God

Answer 20

In the same way a triangle needs three sides the essence of God requires that He exists; necessary existence can not be separated from the concept of a supremely perfect being

Question 21

Mountains and Valleys , Descartes

Answer 21

When there is a mountain there is a valley if God is the mountain his existence must be the valley

Question 22

God as supremely perfect , Descartes

Answer 22

Because God is supremely perfect he possesses all perfections this includes existence .. existence is a predicate of a perfect being therefore God exists

Question 23

Kants objections

Answer 23

Existence is not a quality that can be predicated to something . To say something exists does not add to our understanding of that thing .. existence does not change the concept of God

Question 24

100 Thalers

Answer 24

100 imagined thalers and real thalers are no different they are both 100 thalers no more or no less.
existence is not a predicate

Question 25

Kants criticism of Anselm’s concept of necessary existence

Answer 25

It may be necessary for existence to be an Intrinsic part of the concept of a supremely prefect being but it’s not necessary for that the supremely perfect being to exist in reality .