The Ontological Argument
- Created by: maria.berruti
- Created on: 14-10-19 20:39
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- The Ontological Argument
- Ontos - Greek for 'being'
- Anselm of Canterbury
- God is "that than which nothing greater can be concieved"
- "you can't imagine anything greater than God"
- "God is perfect in every way"
- "you can't imagine anything greater than God"
- If God is perfect in every way, he must exist in reality.
- If he only existed in the mind, we could imagine a more perfect God.
- This more perfect God would therefore exist in both the mind, and in reality.
- If he only existed in the mind, we could imagine a more perfect God.
- If God is "that which nothing greater can be concieved", then he must exist in reality.
- If he existed only in the mind, then you could imagine an even greater being.
- This is similar to the idea of a painter: the painting first exists in the mind of the painter. From his mind, the painting is created.
- If the painter imagined a better painting than the one he created, then he would have created that better painting, than the one he created in the first place.
- ANSELM'S ARGUMENTS
- ANSELM'S FIRST ARGUMENT
- 1- God is the greatest possible being which can be concieved.
- 2- God may exist either in the mind alone, or in reality as well.
- 3- Something which exists in reality and in the mind, is greater than something which exists just as an idea in the mind alone.
- CONCLUSION: God must exist in reality and in the mind.
- 3- Something which exists in reality and in the mind, is greater than something which exists just as an idea in the mind alone.
- 1- God is the greatest possible being which can be concieved.
- 2- God may exist either in the mind alone, or in reality as well.
- CONCLUSION: God must exist in reality and in the mind.
- CONCLUSION: God must exist in reality and in the mind.
- "God is that which nothing greater can be concieved"
- 2- God may exist either in the mind alone, or in reality as well.
- "God is that which nothing greater can be concieved"
- 2- God may exist either in the mind alone, or in reality as well.
- Painter analogy
- 1- God is the greatest possible being which can be concieved.
- ANSELM'S SECOND ARGUMENT
- 1- God is that being nothing greater than chich can be thought of.
- 2- Something which cannot be thought not to exist (a necessary being) is greater than anything which can be thought not to exist (a contingent being)
- CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is impossible to think that this being (God) cannot exist.
- 1- God is that being nothing greater than chich can be thought of.
- 2- Something which cannot be thought not to exist (a necessary being) is greater than anything which can be thought not to exist (a contingent being)
- CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is impossible to think that this being (God) cannot exist.
- SYNOPTIC LINK WITH AQUINAS' THIRD WAY
- ANSELM'S SECOND ARGUMENT
- It has been argued that Anselm's second argument was aimed at believers as proof that the existence of God is rational.
- Aquinas suggests that all beings are contingent on this necessary being which created the universe, which is seen to be God.
- ANSELM'S SECOND ARGUMENT
- SYNOPTIC LINK WITH AQUINAS' THIRD WAY
- CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is impossible to think that this being (God) cannot exist.
- 2- Something which cannot be thought not to exist (a necessary being) is greater than anything which can be thought not to exist (a contingent being)
- SYNOPTIC LINK WITH AQUINAS' THIRD WAY
- Aquinas suggests that all beings are contingent on this necessary being which created the universe, which is seen to be God.
- 1- God is that being nothing greater than chich can be thought of.
- CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is impossible to think that this being (God) cannot exist.
- 2- Something which cannot be thought not to exist (a necessary being) is greater than anything which can be thought not to exist (a contingent being)
- It has been argued that Anselm's second argument was aimed at believers as proof that the existence of God is rational.
- 1- God is that being nothing greater than chich can be thought of.
- ANSELM'S FIRST ARGUMENT
- "Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God"" - Psalm 14:1
- Even athiests have an idea of God existing in their minds.
- God is "that than which nothing greater can be concieved"
- If God is "that which nothing greater can be concieved", then he must exist in reality.
- If he existed only in the mind, then you could imagine an even greater being.
- This is similar to the idea of a painter: the painting first exists in the mind of the painter. From his mind, the painting is created.
- If the painter imagined a better painting than the one he created, then he would have created that better painting, than the one he created in the first place.
- A priori argument
- By analysing the word God it will be obvious that God exists, says Anselm.
- Deductive argument
- Premises prove the conclusion
- The Ontological Argument is the only deductive argument for the existence for God.
- Therefore, God's existence can be shown to be self-evident by analysing the word God.
- By analysing the word God it will be obvious that God exists, says Anselm.
- In the Ontological Argument, Anselm says that the predicate is contained in the subject.
- Essentially, existence is a predicate of God. (it is a property or quality of God's nature)
- Therefore, God's existence can be shown to be self-evident by analysing the word God.
- Analytic argument
- Once we analyse the definition of the term, we will see that God exists.
- Reductio ad absurdum
- Reduction to absurdity
- Anselm of Canterbury
- God is "that than which nothing greater can be concieved"
- "you can't imagine anything greater than God"
- "God is perfect in every way"
- "you can't imagine anything greater than God"
- If God is perfect in every way, he must exist in reality.
- If he only existed in the mind, we could imagine a more perfect God.
- This more perfect God would therefore exist in both the mind, and in reality.
- If he only existed in the mind, we could imagine a more perfect God.
- ANSELM'S ARGUMENTS
- ANSELM'S FIRST ARGUMENT
- Painter analogy
- ANSELM'S FIRST ARGUMENT
- "Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God"" - Psalm 14:1
- Even athiests have an idea of God existing in their minds.
- God is "that than which nothing greater can be concieved"
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