Plantinga's Ontological Arguement

Question 1

What is ‘modal logic’?

Answer 1

Concerns whether something is possible, necessary or impossible

Question 2

What do philosophers concern themselves with when using modal logic?

Answer 2

What could exist in a world of infinite possibilities, rather than what actually exists in reality. They then use these ideas to make sense of what is contradictory, possible or necessary in the real world

Question 3

What did Plantinga see God as?

Answer 3

A being of ‘maximal greatness’

Question 4

What did Plantinga say about the type of existence possessed by this ‘maximally great’ being?

Answer 4

It is a necessary being who exists independently, as contingent beings depend on other things for their existence, so cannot be maximally great

Question 5

What two things did Plantinga think a being of maximal greatness could be in the possible world?

Answer 5

Necessary or impossible

Question 6

Why did Plantinga reject the idea that God’s existence could be impossible?

Answer 6

As this would make a being of maximal greatness self contradictory; its existence would be illogical and its concept incoherent. Therefore its existence must be necessary

Question 7

List the two major criticisms of Plantinga’s ontological arguement

Answer 7

• Not everyone will accept that a being of maximal greatness exists
• Plantinga only proves that God is possible in all possible worlds, but not necessarily in this one

Question 8

State the two premises and conclusion of Plantinga’s ontological arguement

Answer 8

• P1: There is a possible world, in all the possible worlds, where there is an entity which is maximally great
• P2: A maximally great being would exist in all possible worlds
• C: Therefore, a maximally great being exists in this world