The ontological Argument

Question 1

What types of Argument is the Ontological argument?

Answer 1

It is a Deductive argument
It is analytic argument
A priori argument

Question 2

What is a Deductive argument?

Answer 2

The conclusion necessarily follows from the premises. If the premises are true then the conclusion must follow

Question 3

What is an Analytic argument?

Answer 3

the truth (or falsity) of an analytic statement is completely determined by the meanings of the words

Question 4

What is A priori mean?

Answer 4

known to be true independently of experience.

Question 5

What is the Ontological argument?

Answer 5

It attempts to prove God’s existence through the meaning of the word ‘God, including his necessary existence, which derives from his supreme perfection.

Question 6

What is an A02 evaluation of the Basic of the Ontological argument?

Answer 6

Subjective.

Question 7

Who was St Alselm?

Answer 7

(1033-1109) He was a Benedict monk and archbishop of Canterbury.

Question 8

What is the Main idea under Anselm’s argument?

Answer 8

Anselm’s argument was based on the premise that God does exist, he set out to show not believing in God is an absurd argument-it tried to show that existence of God could not be denied because to do so would involve adapting a non-senscial argument.(doesn’t make sense)

Question 9

What are AO2 criticisms of Anselm’s main idea of his argument?

Answer 9

1) If nothing is perfect how do we know what perfect is.
2) Perfection is subjective (counter: we all have a basic understanding of Perfect.
3) If God is perfect than why is there evil in the world?
(counter: what if God is testing humans? What about free will?)

Question 10

What are the 2 forms of the Ontological argument by?

Answer 10

1) Anselm (2 forms)

2) Descartes

Question 11

How does Anselm define God?

Answer 11

‘That than which nothing greater can be conceived’

Question 12

What does Aseity mean?

Answer 12

When something existing in and of itself

Question 13

What is Anselm first form of the Ontological argument?

Answer 13

1) God is that which nothing greater than be conceived
2) If nothing greater can be conceived, the being must contain the perfections, including the perfection of existence.
3) If God exists only as a contingent being then a greater being could be imagined that has a necessary existence (Aseity)
4) This means God exists.

Question 14

What is the second Form of the ontological argument?

Answer 14

1) God is the greatest possible being
2) It is greater to be a necessary being than a contingent being.
3) If God exists as only as contingent being then a greater being could be imagined as a necessary existence (Aseity)
4) If God is contingent then, this being would be greater than God.
5) God is therefore a necessary being and must necessarily exist.

Question 15

What does Rationalism mean?

Answer 15

Basing opinion on reason (logic) and knowledge rather than on religious belief. Anselm says his theory is based on rationalism, it is logical.

Question 16

What does it mean in Anselm’s second form of the ontological argument when he says ‘Necessary existence?

Answer 16

This concept applies differently to the ontological argument. God’s necessary existence is de dicto-necessary by definition.

Question 17

What is the Quote from Psalm 53 that Anselm was Responding to?

Answer 17

‘The fool has said in his heart there is no God’

Question 18

What is the quote from Psalm 53 suggest?

Answer 18

Anselm says he that fool understands God exists but he does not believe he exists. Anselm tries to disprove the fool by saying anyone who understands what is meant by God existing, must have a knowledge of him. Whatever is understood must exist even if a person chooses to dismiss it.

Question 19

What is the Main difference between the 2 forms of the ontological argument presented by Anselm and what is the whole point of Anselm’s argument?

Answer 19

The first concludes God exists and the second concludes that God has a necessary existence.
But his main idea is that you could prove God existence by definition alone.

Question 20

What does the premise ‘God is that which nothing greater than be conceived’ mean?

Answer 20

It is impossible for there to be a more perfect being.Most people except this as the definition of God., even if they think God exists or not.

Question 21

What does Predicate mean?

Answer 21

Someone or something’s attributes. e.g. size, weight, intelligence.

Question 22

What is Descartes form of the ontological argument?

Answer 22

1) God is a supremely perfect being
2) Because God is a supremely perfect being he possess all the perfections.
3) This perfect state includes existence, which is perfection in itself. Existence is a predicate of a perfect being.
4) Therefore God must exist.

Question 23

Although we exist what are humans?

Answer 23

We are imperfect beings, God must exist to put the idea of a perfect being in our minds, otherwise as imperfect beings, we could not have conceived (frame) of him.

Question 24

What is the triangle analogy Descartes uses to Prove his point?

Answer 24

A triangle has necessary characteristics ( a predicate) such as internal angles which add up to 180’. If any of these predicates are removed, the triangle is no longer a triangle, similarly existence is a necessary predicate of God.

Question 25

What is the main difference in the way Anselm and Descartes describe God?

Answer 25

They define God differently. Anselm – that than which nothing greater can be conceived. Descartes – a supremely perfect being.

Question 26

What are 4 criticisms used to critcse the ontological argument?

Answer 26

1) Aquinas objection to Anselm
2) Gaunilo ‘Perfect Island
3) Kant criticism to Descartes
4) Bertrand Russell
.

Question 27

What is Aquinas objection to Anselm?

Answer 27

God is beyond human understanding, humans cannot prove that God exists from the definition or idea of God. ( In other words you cannot apply an a a Priori argument to the argument of existence of God, it must be a Posteriori . We can only no God exists through his works in the world and through nature.

Question 28

What is Gaunilo criticism to Anselm’s form of the Ontological argument?

Answer 28

Gaunilo asks us to imagine a lost Island, an Island greater than conceived to exist. On the Basis of Anselm’s reasoning, Gaunilo holds the Island must exist. Gaunilop seekes to criticse the process of moving from a definiton of God to a suggestion that he exists ( reduction ad abusrdum). We would be a fool to think that the Island exists, just because we have imagined it.

Question 29

What is Kant’s criticism of Descartes form of the ontological argument (Existence is not a predicate)?

Answer 29

Existence is not a predicate
A predicate adds to your understanding of a concept but existence does not. E.g a piece of paper is pink, scrunched, scribbed on and exists. The first three predicates add to your understanding to what paper is like, but saying it exists doesn’t not. If existence is not a predicate, the ontological argument falls to part, as it cannot be part of the definition of God.

Question 30

What does Descartes mean by God is a supremely perfect being?

Answer 30

Again we all have the concept of God in our heads as a supremely perfect being that has all the perfections. He thinks its innate

Question 31

What is Bertrand Russell of Anselm’s Ontological argument?

Answer 31

Russel believes that Anselm’s uses the word ‘exist’ wrong. Existence cannot be a Predicate If it were we could construct the following argument called Syllogism). Men exist, Santa Claus is a man, Therefore Santa Claus exists. Therefore existence is not a property but more of a numerical concept e.g. many more cows but no unicorns.

Question 32

What is Alvin Plantinga Multiple words theory? ( development of the ontological argument?

Answer 32

1) God is maximally great and perfect
2) We are able to imagine many worlds which contain different things.
3) There must be any number of possible worlds, including our own.
4) If God’s existence is necessary than he must exist in all of them.
5) God is therefore ‘maximally great and ‘maximally excellent’.

Question 33

What are 3 Strengths of the Ontological argument?

Answer 33

1) Anselm Provides a clear and logical argument for the existence of God.
2) Its starting Point is valid for both believer and atheist ( the definition of God ‘TTWNGCBC’, is accepted by atheist, an Atheist must have an understanding of God to reject it)
3) Can be praised by theists as it defends the idea that God is a supremely perfect being as god is perfection according to argument

Question 34

What are 2 general weaknesses of the Ontological argument?

Answer 34

1) Limitation of an a priori argument is that if one premise is shown to be inaccurate the whole argument falls to pieces.
2) Some would argue, however, that any attempt to define God would be to limit God.

Question 35

Assess Descartes support of the ontological argument (9)

Answer 35

1) He believes God as a supremely perfect being, which is different to Anselm as he states God ‘ TTWNGCBC. he believed existence is a predicate of a perfect being. However Aquinas criticism.
2) When we inspect the universe we see more evidence of perfection which is used to describe God. Psalm 53, we all know and have minimum understanding of God. However Gaunilo critiques the reduction of absurdum approach.
3) He uses a clear and logical argument for the existence of God. Triangle analogy. However some would argue, any attempt to define God would be to limit God.

Question 36

What is A02 of Guanillo’s critique of the ontological argument?

Answer 36

God is the only perfect being to which the ontological argument might apply. Islands are limited and defective things, which is why no one can agree on what a perfect island is.

Question 37

What is an A02 response to Kant?

Answer 37

Peter Van Ingwagen argues that while ordinary existence isn’t a predicate, ‘’ necessary existence’’ is.