Ontological Argument

Question 1

What is Anselm’s ontological argument?

Answer 1

He uses God’s definition of ‘that which nothing greater can be conceived’ to say that the greatest conceivable being must exist, or it would not be the greatest conceivable being.

Question 2

How does Descartes expand on the ontological argument?

Answer 2

He says that existence is a predicate of perfection, just as 3 sides and angles summing up to 180’ are predicated of triangles.

He also says that humans can only conceive of a perfect being because god ‘stamped’ the idea in our minds, as we are imperfect

Question 3

How does Malcolm support the ontological argument?

Answer 3

He says that necessary existence cannot be affected by anything external to it and if God does not exist he can’t be brought into existence or he wouldn’t be God. Existence would be impossible and it is not so God’s existence is necessary

Question 4

What is gaunilo’s argument against the ontological argument?

Answer 4

We cannot bring something into existence just by adding the word existence to a list of attributes describing that thing. Example of perfect island not having to exist just because you have the idea that if it’s perfect it must exist

Question 5

What is G E Moore’s criticism of the ontological argument?

Answer 5

Example- ‘ some tame tigers do not growl’, ‘some tame tigers to not exist’
1st statement tells us something about characters but the second does not. Existence is not a characteristic or a predicate

Question 6

What is Kant’s criticism of the ontological argument?

Answer 6

Argument is circular as it starts with a definition of God in order to prove God. The concept of God only exists because of ideas taken from reality.

Question 7

What is Hume’s criticism of the ontological argument?

Answer 7

Necessary existence is not a coherent concept/ one must go outside an object to ascribe it