Ontological argument - Anselm

Question 1

What does Anselm state in the Monologium?

Answer 1

We all have a shared sense of justice

Question 2

Why did Anselm argue that we all have a shared sense of justice?

Answer 2

He believes that we can all agree on how just a given situation is. As we all agree across culture, this idea of justice does not come from communities, otherwise we could not agree. It must come from somewhere else.

Question 3

Where did Anselm argue we derive justice from?

Answer 3

A being that is all good. Justice is an idea in the mind of God and it is God that gives us the ability to know and understand justice.

Question 4

What is the consequence of saying we all have a shared sense of justice?

Answer 4

Anselm says if we all have a shared sense of justice, we must all have a shared concept of this being that is all good.

Question 5

How does Anselm define God?

Answer 5

“That than which nothing greater can be conceived”

Question 6

What type of argument is Anselm’s Ontological argument?

Answer 6

A priori, deductive

Question 7

What is the first premise of Anselm’s Ontological argument?

Answer 7

God is ‘that than which nothing greater can be conceived’

Question 8

What is the second premise of Anselm’s Ontological argument?

Answer 8

It is greater to exist in the mind and reality than to exist in just the mind

Question 9

What is the conclusion of Anselm’s Ontological argument?

Answer 9

If God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived, he must exist in the mind and reality, otherwise there could be a being that exists in mind and reality which is greater than God, if he only exists in the mind.

Question 10

How does Brian Davies support the second premise?

Answer 10

He says “a £5 in my pocket is greater than a £5 in my imagination”

Question 11

How does Gaunilo criticise Anselm?

Answer 11

He said Anselm’s argument is absurd as you could reason anything into existence.

Question 12

What example doe Gaunilo give?

Answer 12

Imagine an island that is ‘that than which no greater island can be conceived’
It is greater to exist in reality than in the mind.
If the island is that than which no greater island can be conceived, it must exist in the mind and reality, otherwise there could be an island that exists in mind and reality which then greater, if the island only exists in the mind.

Question 13

How did Aquinas criticise Anselm?

Answer 13

We do not all share a common concept of God. The human mind is finite and so not capable of knowing an infinite God - so God will always be unknowable so we can’t all agree on a definition of God.

Question 14

What did Aquinas think Anselm’s argument could prove?

Answer 14

That we have an idea of god in our minds but he could not prove that this idea of God exists outside of the mind as a reality.

Question 15

How does Platinga support Anselm?

Answer 15

You cannot compare God to an island - islands are contingent - come in and out of existence and we can always add to an island. God is not the same.

Question 16

How did Anselm change his argument to respond to Gaunilo?

Answer 16

God is ‘that which nothing greater can be conceived’
It is greater to be necessary than contingent
If God is that which nothing greater can be conceived, God must be necessary, otherwise a being cold exist that was necessary and would therefore be greater than God, a contradiction

Question 17

How does Davies criticise Anselm?

Answer 17

He says that it is nonsense to ask which is more perfect - something in the mind or in reality

Question 18

What does Gaunilo call the second premise?

Answer 18

“Nonsense”

Question 19

What does Gaunilo say about existing in your mind?

Answer 19

Just because something exists in your mind doesn’t mean it exists in reality - “For could I not say that all sorts of false and completely nonexistent things exist in my mind…”

Question 20

What does Gaunilo say about moving from existence in the mind to existence in reality?

Answer 20

“If it is said that this being…exists in the mind, I do not deny that it exists in mine. But through this alone it can hardly be said to attain existence in reality.”

Question 21

What did Gaunilo say about imagining God’s existence?

Answer 21

It is as possible to imagine God’s nonexistence as it is to imagine our own

Question 22

Give the Bible quote that supports Gaunilo and explain it.

Answer 22

Psalm 14:1 - “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” - Biblical support for the idea that not everyone has the idea of god in their mind - they could equally have the idea of nonexistence

Question 23

How does Keith Ward support Anselm?

Answer 23

If we could understand God truly, we would see that it is impossible for God not to exist.

Question 24

How does Keith Ward criticise Anselm?

Answer 24

“Anselm’s definition is lucid in making this clear. But it still does not show that God actually exists. It shows that God is either necessary or impossible. But we cannot, simply by thinking, establish which.

Question 25

What did Gaunilo mean by his example of gossip?

Answer 25

used the example of gossip to demonstrate that it is usual to hold unreal ideas in our minds that we might even believe, but this does not make them true

Question 26

What did Gaunilo say about Anselm’s idea that we all share an understanding of God?

Answer 26

He rejected Anselm’s assumption that all people have a common understanding of God as the greatest possible being might differ for different people.