ontological arguments Flashcards
what is the pppc of anslem’s argument?
p1) the concept of a being than which none greater can be conceived exists as a concept in the mind
p2) suppose that the greatest conceivable being exists only in the mind and not in reality
p3) a being that exists in the mind and in reality is greater than a being that exists only in the mind
c1) therefore, there is something greater than the greatest possible being
c2) therefore, the greatest possible being must exist in the mind and in reality
what is the ppc of descartes argument?
p1) we have an idea of god as a supremely perfect being
p2) a supremely perfect being has all perfections
p3) existence is a perfection
c) therefore, a supremely perfect being exists
what is Kant’s objection to descartes argument?
to make a claim that existence is a perfection is to treat ‘exists’ as other predicates
- saying something exists does not give you more information e.g. coins
- existence subsantiatiates a concept - it says that there is a thing in the physical world that corresponds to the concept
what is norman malcolms ontological argument?
p1) god is conceived as an unlimited being
p2) either god does not exist or god exists
p3) if god does not exist than god’s existence would be impossible (because god cannot come into existence - it would mean that his existence is caused by something else or it just happened to occur)
p4) if god does exist then his existence must be necessary
c) therefore, god’s existence is either impossible or necessary
p5) if god’s existence is impossible then the concept must be self-contradictory
p6) the concept of a necessary being is not self-contradictory
c2) therefore, god’s existence is not impossible
c3) therefore, god’s existence is necessary
what is plantinga’s argument?
p1) god is a maximally great being
p2) this being exists in one possible world
p3) for a being to be maximally great, it would have to exist with all its great making properties in every possible world
c) since such a being exists in at least one possible world, it must exist in every possible world
what is guanilo’s perfect island objection?
p1) the concept of an island than which none greater can be imagined is a coherent one
p2) suppose that the greatest conceivable island exists only in the mind and not in reality
p3) an island that exists in the mind and in reality is greater than an island that exists only in the mind
c1) therefore, there is an island greater than the greatest conceivable island
c2) therefore, the greatest conceivable island must exist in the mind and in reality
c3) therefore, the greatest conceivable island exists
what are the empiricst objections?
- ontological arguments are a priori - concept of god = god exists (necessarily)
what did malcolm argue about necessary existence?
while existence is not a perfection, necessary existence is - god’s existence cannot depend on anything else so is either necessary or impossible
