Anselm, Ontological Argument

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 9:15 PM

In order to prove something, you need: - Argument - True Premises - Premises that support the conclusion (provide strong reasons for thinking the conclusion is true) - Truth of the premises is incontestable

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 C

P = Premises C = Conclusion
a

There are three main philosophical approaches to prove the existence of God 1. Show that the existence of God is rationally necessary 2. Show that the existence of God is necessary either a. For the existence of the world b. For the existence of some feature of the world 3. Show that the existence of God is necessary to account for objective moral standards, laws, or moral sense in humans

= ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS = COSMOLOGICAL/CAUSAL ARGUMENTS = DESIGN ARGUMENTS = MORAL ARGUMENTS

We're focusing on these

ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS
The most famous philosopher of this persuasion is Anselm, a monk in the 1100s. He already firmly believes that God exists but he wants to demonstrate his belief; he seeks understanding, knowledge. Fides Querens Intellectum - Faith Seeking Understanding PRE-ARGUMENT Reductio ad absurdum - Reduction to the absurd A type of logical argument in which you assume the negation of the conclusion (C). You desire thus that the conclusion of the argument starting from this assumption is an absurdity, a contradiction. Because a contradiction is invalid, you can thus affirm (C). NOT C Assume the negation

P and NOT P C

Desire a contradiction Affirm your conclusion

ANSELM'S ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (Version One from Proslogion 2 on the handout) According to Anselm, God = a being than which none greater can be thought (ABTWNGCBT) For the nonbeliever, God (ABTWNGCBT) doesn't believe it exists in reality. However, by merely saying God doesn't exist, the nonbeliever conceives of ABTWNGCBT in his mind. For believers and nonbelievers, ABTWNGCBT exists in the mind. If something exists in the mind, it can be thought to exist in reality. ABTWNGCBT can be thought to exist in reality. To exist in reality is greater than to exist in the mind. Thus, it would be greater to think of God existing in reality than just in the mind. Thus, you have just imagined a being greater than God. CONTRADICTION: God is ABTWNGCBT and is not ABTWNGCBT. What a nonbeliever believes (that God exists in the mind but not in reality) is not true. God, aka ABTWNGCBT, exists in the mind and in reality.

REDUTIO AD ABSURDUM C ASSUME THE NEGATION OF C, NOT C

CONTRADICTION (P and NOT P) AFFIRM C

Anselm Page 1