ontological

• Who created the Ontological Argument in 1077 AD?


  St Anselm
• What does ontology refer to?

  Being or existing and the nature of being
• Why has the Ontological Argument been controversial?

  Critics are often religious but doubt its validity
• What is a strength of a priori arguments for God?

  They can't be undermined by new scientific evidence
• What type of reasoning do Ontological arguments use?

  Deductive reasoning
• What do the premises of a deductive argument entail?

  The truth of the premises entails the conclusion
• What is the first premise of St Anselm's Ontological Argument?

  God is the greatest conceivable being
• What is the second premise of St Anselm's Ontological Argument?

  It is greater to exist in reality than in the mind
• What is the conclusion of St Anselm's Ontological Argument?

  Therefore, God exists in reality
• How does Anselm illustrate the distinction between existing in the mind and in reality?

  Through the example of a painter's idea
• What does Anselm argue about the idea of God existing only in the mind?

  It is incoherent since something greater could be conceived
• What biblical reference does Anselm use to support his argument?

  Psalm 14:1
• What does Anselm claim about the nature of God in relation to existence?

  God cannot exist only in the mind
• What does Anselm conclude about a necessary being?

  A necessary being's nonexistence is impossible
• How does Malcolm interpret Anselm's term 'greater'?

  As referring to a being's limitations
• What does Hartshorne call Anselm's insight about necessary existence?

  Anselm's discovery
• What analogy does Anselm use to explain our understanding of God?

  Seeing daylight without fully seeing the sun
• What is Gaunilo's objection to Anselm's argument?

  God cannot be in the understanding
• What does Aquinas argue about the understanding of God?

  People have different understandings of God
• What does Gaunilo doubt about the concept of the greatest conceivable being?

  That we can fully conceive of it
• Why is Gaunilo's argument considered unsuccessful?

  Full understanding of God isn't required
• What does Peter van Inwagen explain about Anselm's view of understanding God?

  We can understand God partially
• What traits does Anselm attribute to God?

  Omnipotence, omniscience, etc.
• What does Anselm argue about contingent beings?

  They depend on something else for existence
• How does Anselm differentiate God from contingent beings?

  God does not depend on anything for existence
• What does Anselm claim about the uniqueness of God's existence?

  It does not follow ordinary understanding
• What does Gaunilo's 'lost island' response illustrate?

  The absurdity of applying Anselm's logic elsewhere
• What does Anselm argue about the nature of an island compared to God?

  An island is dependent on other things
• Why can't the existence of contingent beings be proven a priori?

  They depend on something else for existence
• What does Anselm's defense highlight about responses to the Ontological Argument?

  God's existence is unique and special
• What does Anselm successfully refute in his argument?

  The ordinary way of understanding existence
• What is the nature of the greatest possible island?

  It is contingent, meaning it may or may not exist.
• Why can't a priori analysis prove the existence of contingent beings?

  Because their existence depends on something else.
• What distinguishes necessary beings from contingent beings?

  Necessary beings do not depend on anything else.
• What is Anselm's defense of the ontological argument?

  • Anselm argues God's existence is unique.
  • Ordinary understanding of existence does not apply.
  • He refutes the relevance of the perfect island.
• What is a central contention of Gaunilo against Anselm's argument?

  That necessary existence does not prove God's existence.
• How did Descartes aim to strengthen the ontological argument?

  By founding it on rationalist epistemology.
• What is the core of Scholasticism as influenced by Anselm?

  Subject-predicate analysis of propositions.
• What does Descartes argue about intuition in knowledge acquisition?

  Intuition provides absolute certainty of truths.
• How does Descartes illustrate the concept of intuition with a triangle?

  We know a triangle has three sides intuitively.