ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT DETAILED
- Created by: Maisikins
- Created on: 05-03-15 11:05
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- ONTO-LOGICAL ARGUMENT
- If you understand that the definition of god is a supreme being - it is logical to conclude he exists.
- It is not just logical, but necessary
- ANSELM
- GOD IS- "THAT WHICH NONE GREATER CAN BE THOUGHT"
- The atheist understands this, as the CHRISTIAN DEFINITION OF GOD, even if they deny the existence of god.
- It is one thing to exist in understanding and another to exist in reality
- It is greater to exist in reality than in understanding alone
- Therefore, God must exist in reality or else something greater could be imagined.
- To claim that something than which nothing greater can be thought of does not exist in reality as well as in thought is SELF CONTRADICTORY
- SO GOD MUST LOGICALLY EXIST
- GOD IS- "THAT WHICH NONE GREATER CAN BE THOUGHT"
- The atheist understands this, as the CHRISTIAN DEFINITION OF GOD, even if they deny the existence of god.
- It is one thing to exist in understanding and another to exist in reality
- It is greater to exist in reality than in understanding alone
- Therefore, God must exist in reality or else something greater could be imagined.
- To claim that something than which nothing greater can be thought of does not exist in reality as well as in thought is SELF CONTRADICTORY
- SO GOD MUST LOGICALLY EXIST
- To claim that something than which nothing greater can be thought of does not exist in reality as well as in thought is SELF CONTRADICTORY
- Therefore, God must exist in reality or else something greater could be imagined.
- It is greater to exist in reality than in understanding alone
- It is one thing to exist in understanding and another to exist in reality
- If god did not exist, it would not be that than which nothing greater can be thought.
- So, to avoid self contradiction, God must exist and cannot be thought of as not existing
- The atheist understands this, as the CHRISTIAN DEFINITION OF GOD, even if they deny the existence of god.
- To claim that something than which nothing greater can be thought of does not exist in reality as well as in thought is SELF CONTRADICTORY
- Therefore, God must exist in reality or else something greater could be imagined.
- It is greater to exist in reality than in understanding alone
- It is one thing to exist in understanding and another to exist in reality
- If god did not exist, it would not be that than which nothing greater can be thought.
- So, to avoid self contradiction, God must exist and cannot be thought of as not existing
- The atheist understands this, as the CHRISTIAN DEFINITION OF GOD, even if they deny the existence of god.
- "God exists is an analytic statement"
- Analytic statement is a statement that is obvious and therefore not necessary
- FOR EXAMPLE: red is a colour.
- This is analytic because, of course red is a colour, it doesn't need checking.
- Even someone who has never seen red, knows that it is a colour because that is its definition.
- Even someone who has never seen red, knows that it is a colour because that is its definition.
- This is analytic because, of course red is a colour, it doesn't need checking.
- FOR EXAMPLE: red is a colour.
- Analytic statement is a statement that is obvious and therefore not necessary
- GOD IS- "THAT WHICH NONE GREATER CAN BE THOUGHT"
- GAUNILO'S OBJECTION
- Everyone's definition of perfect is different, if god is perfect as Anselm suggested.
- Take an Island, one persons perfect island might be very different to another persons perfect island.
- So God cannot be perfect to everyone.
- Take an Island, one persons perfect island might be very different to another persons perfect island.
- ANSELM'S ANSWER
- An island is contingent, it relies on things to be perfect, for example temperature, wind etc. Whereas god is necessary, and this only applies to necessary things
- God is better than this, we don't hold the capability to understand the perfection of god.
- An island is contingent, it relies on things to be perfect, for example temperature, wind etc. Whereas god is necessary, and this only applies to necessary things
- Everyone's definition of perfect is different, if god is perfect as Anselm suggested.
- ANALYTIC STATEMENTS
- The statement is necessarily true because the predicate is contained within the subject.
- Predicate
- A defining characteristic, something that can be possessed or lacked
- EXAMPLE: THE POPE IS A CHRISTIAN
- SUBJECT: POPE
- PREDICATE: CHRISTIAN
- ANALYTIC STATEMENT
- EXAMPLE: ALL BACHELORS ARE UNMARRIED
- ANALYTIC STATEMENT
- SUBJECT: BACHELORS
- PREDICATE: UNMARRIED
- EXAMPLE: THE POPE IS A CHRISTIAN
- A defining characteristic, something that can be possessed or lacked
- Predicate
- The statement is necessarily true because the predicate is contained within the subject.
- SYNTHETIC STATEMENTS
- The statement adds new information to the object and is therefore subject to evidence
- EXAMPLE: THE CAT SAT ON THE MAT
- There is nothing in CAT to suggest that it is SAT ON THE MAT
- But there can be gathered evidence that will say this is true
- There is nothing in CAT to suggest that it is SAT ON THE MAT
- EXAMPLE: MR THOMAS' CAR IS RED
- We do not know this for fact just from the statement, but we can go and look to see if it is correct
- EXAMPLE: THE CAT SAT ON THE MAT
- The statement adds new information to the object and is therefore subject to evidence
- DESCATES
- Existence is a necessary part of the meaning of god, in the same way "3 angles" is a necessary part of a triangle.
- Existence= perfection, therefore god must have all the perfections, including existence.
- "THE FACT THAT I CANNOT THINK OF A MOUNTAIN WITHOUT A VALLEY; IT DOESN'T FOLLOW THAT A MOUNTAIN AND A VALLEY EXIST ANYWHERE BUT SIMPLY THAT THEY ARE INSEPERABLE"
- HOWEVER, "EXISTENCE IS INSEPARABLE FROM GOD AND HENCE HE REALLY DOES EXIST"
- Existence is a necessary part of the meaning of god, in the same way "3 angles" is a necessary part of a triangle.
- KANT
- If you have a triangle, you must have three sides to avoid contradiction.. But if you don't have a triangle, then you don't have three sides either.
- THEREFORE, IF YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, IT IS LOGICAL TO THINK THAT HIS EXISTENCE IS NECESSARY
- BUT, you do not have to accept the existence in the first place.
- THEREFORE, IF YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, IT IS LOGICAL TO THINK THAT HIS EXISTENCE IS NECESSARY
- Existence, is not a predicate. You add nothing to the description of something by saying that it exists.
- There is no difference in the description of an imaginary football and a real football- only that one exists and the other doesn't
- If you have a triangle, you must have three sides to avoid contradiction.. But if you don't have a triangle, then you don't have three sides either.
- If you understand that the definition of god is a supreme being - it is logical to conclude he exists.
- Plantinga continues this critique by saying that an island has no intrinsic maximum, there can always be another beach or another lagoon etc
- Take an Island, one persons perfect island might be very different to another persons perfect island.
- So God cannot be perfect to everyone.
- Take an Island, one persons perfect island might be very different to another persons perfect island.
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