ontological arguments Flashcards
define ontological arguments
-use priori reasoning
-aim to deduce gods existence from the definition of god, if works then ‘god exists’ is an analytic truth
define Anselm’s ontological argument
-by definition god is a being greater then which cannot be conceived
-it is greater to exist in reality then to exist only in mind
-therefore god exists
how does Anselm’s ontological argument prove gods existence
it is greater to exist in reality then to exist in mind and since god is the greatest possible being, the greatest possible being would be one that exists in reality and not just in the mind, so god exists
what responds to Anselm’s ontological argument
Gaunilo’s island
how does Gaunilo’s island respond to Anslem
if Anselm’s argument is valid then anything can be defined into existence
what example does Gaunilo use
perfect island
define the Gaunilo’s perfect island example
-the perfect island is by definition an island greater then which cannot be conceived
-we can coherently conceive of such an island i.e. the concept is coherent
-it is greater to exist in reality then to exist only in mind
-therefore the island must exist
what does Gaunilo’s perfect island example conclude
-it follows the same format as Anselm’s but the conclusion is obviously false
-we could use the format to define anything into existence
as well as Gaunilo’s island, who else responds to Anselm
Kant
how does Kant argue against Anselm
existence is not a predicate
define Kant’s argument of existence not being a predicate
adding existence to a concept does not make it any more real e.g. unicorn
define Kant’s unicorn example
-imagine a unicorn
-then imagine a unicorn that exists
-there is no difference between the 2
-adding existence to the idea of a unicorn doesn’t make the idea exist
how does Kant’s unicorn example apply to god
adding existence to the concept of god doesn’t change anything
how does Kant’s unicorn example apply to the existence of god
-when someone says ‘god exists’ they don’t mean ‘there is a concept of god and he has the property of existence’
-if they did then when they say ‘god doesn’t exist’ they would mean ‘there is a god who has the property of non existence’ which doesn’t make sense
who’s ontological argument avoids Kant
Norman Malcolm
what does Norman Malcolm argue
-necessary existence
- it’s not existence that is perfection but the logical impossibility of non existence
define Malcolm’s ontological argument
-the concept of god is the concept of a being with necessary existence
-such a being either exists or doesn’t
-if such a being doesn’t exist then it’s impossible for it to ever exist
-but it’s not impossible for such a being to exist
-therefore such a being (with necessary existence) exists
what responds to Malcolm’s ontological argument
fallacy of equivocation
define the fallacy of equivocation
-the meaning of necessary changes between the premises and the conclusion
-in the premises he talks about existence in the sense of property, but in conclusion talks about it being a necessary truth that god exists
how does the fallacy of equivocation argue against god
-the concept of god may have the property of necessary existence but does not show that it is a necessary truth that god exists
what does the fallacy of equivocation conclude
we can imagine a being with the property of necessary existence, but this isn’t the same thing as saying such a being exists necessarily
as well as the fallacy of equivocation, what else responds to Malcolm
the concept of god is self contradictory
define the concept of god is self contradictory argument
the concept of god is self contradictory e.g. the paradox of the stone
define the paradox of the stone
-if god is omnipotent, can he create a stone so heavy he cannot lift
-if he cant then he’s not powerful enough to create this stone
-if he can then he’s not powerful enough to lift the stone
-either way there is something god cannot do meaning he is not omnipotent
do ontological arguments prove gods existence (25 mark plan)
p1-intro
-ontological arguments do not prove gods existence
-define key terms
p2-argument 1
-Anselm’s ontological argument
p3-response 1
-Gaunilo’s island
p4-response 2
-existence is not a predicate
p5-argument 2
-Norman Malcolm’s ontological argument
p6-response 3
-fallacy of equivocation
p7-response 4
-concept of god is self contradictory
p8-conclusion
-ontological arguments, both Anselm and Malcolm, fail to prove the existence of god from the definition of god
