Ontological argument Flashcards
Anselms first argument mind and reality
God is that which nothing greater csn be conceived
Even a fool can understand that God is the greatest possible being he can conceive of
The fool is convinced that God the greatest possible being exists in his understanding but not reality this is impossible
It is greater to exist in the understanding and reality than just in the understanding
Therefore as the greatest possible beings God exists in reality and understanding
Anselms second argument necessary
There are contingent and necessary things in the world and the necessary are far greater
If God was contingent he could be greater
If God is that which nothing greater can be conceived he cannot cease to exist(contingent)
Therefore God exists necessarily
Descartes Trade Mark argument
We, as finite beings, have an idea of an infinite and perfect being
We could not have conjured up the idea on our own
God must have put the idea of himself in us as a perfect infinite being
Therefore God exists
Descartes supreme beinh argument
God is the most supremely perfect being
A supremely perfect being has all perfections
Existence is perfection
It is impossible to think of God as not existing
Therefore God exists
Alvin Plantingas possible worlds
There are an infinite number of possible worlds
If God only existed in one of these possible worlds he could be greater
God must exist in all possible worldd to not be self contradictory
Normal Malcolms
God is a conceptual matter so is an unlimited being
The existence of an unlimited being is either logically necessary or logically impossible
The existence of an unlimited being is not logically impossible
Criticism Kant existence is not a predicate + russell
Existence does not add to the subject of God
Russells extension
For example cows are brown and cows are brown and exist are the same
Gaunilos island and anselms response
If we replace to word God in the ontological argument with the word island it leads to an invalid conclusion
Response
Islands are contigent and imperfect and can be added to eg palm tree
God and an island are dissimilar
Hume- analytic
Whatever we conceive and existence we can conceive as non existence. God exists is not analytic. Statements about existence are synthetic(true by virture of the way the world is)
Kants second criticism transitional error
Just because we can define a concept doesnt mean it actually exists in reality
Aquinas strength
Only God has the intellect to understand the ontological argument because he is infinite and perfect
Gasking non existence of God
The greatness of something is determined by what it achieves and its limitations
The greatest achievement is the creation of the universe
The greatest limitations is non-existence
As the greatest being God must have both
God must not exist
3 strengths
First premise can be applied to both atheists and theists
Deductive
Philosophically interesting
