Ontological Argument
- Created by: Grace Lidgett
- Created on: 04-01-13 11:28
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- Ontological argument
- Anselm
- Constructed from 'fools say in their hearts "there is not God" ' [Psalm 14:1]
- First argument
- God may exist in the mind alone or reality too, something existing in reality aswell is better than the mind alone.. Therefore God must exist in reality
- Second argument
- Something which cannot be thought not to exist is greater than something which can be thought not to exist, it is impossible to think that God cannot exist
- Because it is impossible to think of God not existing, he must exist. Therefore EXISTENCE IS A PREDICATE OF GOD
- Descartes
- The existence of God cannot be doubted just as the truths of science cannot be
- The nature of a triangle is that it has 3 sides and 3 angles which makes it IMMUTABLE [incapable of change]
- The crucial part is that, like a triangle, God is immutable
- God is a supremely perfect being, a property of perfection is existence, therefore God exists
- If you take the angles away from a triangle, it is no longer one. Just as if you take existence away from God, he is no longer God
- A priori = knowledge gained from logical reasoning
- Kant
- Kant argues that existence is not a 'predicate'
- One can have the idea of a unicorn but that does not mean it exists in reality
- Kant is saying that existence is a concept of God but that does not prove God exists, all philosophical statements for kant about existence are synthetic
- Kant agreed with Descartes reasoning that by definition a three-sided figure is a triangle but if you don't have a triangle in the first place, it wont have 3 sides
- Kant argues that existence is not a 'predicate'
- Gaunilo
- 'On behalf of the fool'
- Perfect island = close your eyes and picture the perfect island, the island however does not exist
- Gossip = the fool could have in his minds all sorts of things which do not exist, when someone tells you gossip doesn't mean its reliable
- Definition = you cannot demonstrate the existence of something by just having an idea about it
- Anselm responsed
- Anselm
- Constructed from 'fools say in their hearts "there is not God" ' [Psalm 14:1]
- First argument
- God may exist in the mind alone or reality too, something existing in reality aswell is better than the mind alone.. Therefore God must exist in reality
- Second argument
- Something which cannot be thought not to exist is greater than something which can be thought not to exist, it is impossible to think that God cannot exist
- Because it is impossible to think of God not existing, he must exist. Therefore EXISTENCE IS A PREDICATE OF GOD
- Gaunilo's argument was different, the island does not have to exist because it is contingent God is necessary
- Also, Gaunilos argument is not a thing which which can be conceived not to exist!!
- Anselm
- Anselm
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