Anselm's ontological argument
- Created by: AliceVslater
- Created on: 13-02-17 09:36
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- Ontological Argument
- Anselm's first form
- The argument comes form the word 'Ontos' or 'being'. It is and a priori argument: it relies on analysing the definition of a word. It is therefore deductive and analtic, as the conclusion flows logically from the premises
- Anselm states that the predicate is contained in the subject. So, God's existence can be shown to be self-evident by analysing the word God. In other words, by analysing the word God it will be obvious , says Anselm, that God exists. In 'God exists' the subject is 'God' and the predicate is exists.
- Anselm defined God as 'a being than which nothing greater can be conceived.' In psalm 14 the fool says in his heart, 'there is no God' Anselm observed that even the fool had a concept of God in his understanding, in order to reject God.
- 'Greater' means 'perfect' or 'having all perfections' and 'conceived' means thought of. Existence is a perfection you can have or lack. As 'perfection' means 'having all perfections' then in order to be 'a being than which nothing greater can be conceived.' God must have the perfection of existence, in reality or else he would not be 'a being than which nothing greater can be conceived.'
- Anselm's second form
- Anselm tries to demonstrate that God's existence is necessary and does not treat existence as a predicate. He looks at two models of existence: contingent (dependent on another thing for its existence) and necessary (Is not dependent on anything else for its existence.)
- It is greater to have necessary existence than contingent existence. As contingent existence relies on another to bring it into existence. This being is therefore limited, and so cannot be God an god is 'a being than which nothing greater can be conceived'. if God were contingent then we could conceive of another being that had the predicate of necessary being and this being would then be greater than God, as it is more perfect to have the perfection of necessary existence. Therefore God exists.
- By analysing the definition of the word God, Anselm has shown that God exists. To deny God's existence, once we have that definition of God, is contradictory to our logic.
- It is greater to have necessary existence than contingent existence. As contingent existence relies on another to bring it into existence. This being is therefore limited, and so cannot be God an god is 'a being than which nothing greater can be conceived'. if God were contingent then we could conceive of another being that had the predicate of necessary being and this being would then be greater than God, as it is more perfect to have the perfection of necessary existence. Therefore God exists.
- Anselm tries to demonstrate that God's existence is necessary and does not treat existence as a predicate. He looks at two models of existence: contingent (dependent on another thing for its existence) and necessary (Is not dependent on anything else for its existence.)
- Anselm's second form
- If God only had the perfection of existence in the mind , then there could be another being who had the perfection of existence in reality, who would be greater than God, but this cannot be true as by definition God is 'a being than which nothing greater can be conceived. So God must exist in reality.
- Anselm's first form
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