Ontological arguments

• What type of reasoning do ontological arguments use?

  A priori reasoning
• What do ontological arguments aim to deduce?

  God's existence from the definition of God
• What do proponents of ontological arguments claim about 'God exists'?

  It is an analytic truth
• Who proposed the first ontological argument?

  Anselm of Canterbury
• How can Anselm's ontological argument be summarized?

  God is a being greater than which cannot be conceived
• What is greater according to Anselm's argument?

  To exist in reality than in the mind
• What does Anselm conclude about the being greater than which nothing can be conceived?

  It exists both in understanding and reality
• What is Descartes' version of the ontological argument based on?

  The idea of a supremely perfect being
• What does Descartes claim about existence?

  Existence is a perfection
• How does Hume challenge the ontological argument?

  By stating 'God does not exist' is not a contradiction
• What does Gaunilo argue against Anselm's argument?

  Anything can be defined into existence
• What does Hume say about analytic truths?

  They lead to contradictions if denied
• How does Hume argue against the coherence of 'God does not exist'?

  It can be coherently conceived
• What is Kant's main argument against the ontological argument?

  Existence is not a predicate of things
• How does Kant illustrate his point about existence using a unicorn?

  Imagining a unicorn does not change its existence
• What does Malcolm argue about existence in his ontological argument?

  Existence is a necessary predicate
• What is the conclusion of Malcolm's ontological argument?

  God's existence is necessary
• What is a possible response to Malcolm's argument?

  The concept of God is self-contradictory
• How does the meaning of "necessary" change in Malcolm's argument?

  It shifts between property and necessary truth