ontological argument

• ANSELM was the archbishop of Canterbury for 18 years
• God exists as an idea in the mind
• ANSELM was a Roman Catholic
• A being that exists in the mind and in reality is greater than a being that exists only in the mind
• Ontological argument


  A famous argument about religious arguments about language written by ANSELM in a book called the Proslogion, which is phrased as a prayer
• God only exists in the mind

  We can imagine something greater than God
• God


  A being that which nothing greater can be conceived
• ANSELM was a Christian philosopher
• The greatest possible amount of being must possess all good qualities to the maximum
• It's logically impossible

  The only remaining possibility is God exists both in mind and in reality
• There is no being that is more loving, powerful or wise than God
• Nobody doubts that 2+2=4
• How does the argument help faith?

  1. Offers a definition by God that can be understood by logic and reasoning

  2. Allows people to understand God better and helps their relationship with him

  3. Does not use synthetic statements (based on evidence from the world around us) which can be criticized as being subjective/unreliable in nature

  4. Concludes that logically God must exist, and being able to think about God shows this
• Lots of people doubt that Anselm's Ontological Argument is true
• If Anselm's Ontological Argument was really a proof, there would be no doubt
• Some might argue that Anselm's Ontological Argument is a proof in Karl Barth's sense, faith-based acceptance
• Anselm argues in the Proslogion that those who do not believe in God are 'Fools'
• An Atheist saying 'there is no God' does not understand the overall concept of God
• The argument succeeds as it is deductive and clear conclusions can be drawn from it, leaving only one answer; God exists
• The main strength of Anselm's argument is showing that the concept of God is not illogical
• Everyone, even a non-believer, must have a concept of God in the mind
• It offers an actual proof for God's existence which can be logically debated rather than relying on synthetic, potentially unreliable evidence
• Describing predicates of something adds to understanding, but saying it exists doesn't add anything new to understanding
• There is no difference between the concept of God and a God that actually exists
• Existence is not a predicate because saying something exists does not give more information about it
• It is possible to make analytic statements about things that do not exist
• Anselm uses Analytic statements in his argument which are true by definition
• Analytic statements can be made about things that do not exist
• Analytic statement

  • a unicorn is a white horse with a horn
• Analytic statements are true by definition
• Various scholars dispute whether the philosopher has proven anything with the argument
• Saying 'God exists necessarily' is logically true but not necessarily true
• Anselm's deductive reasoning

  1. God is the greatest possible being

  2. To be the greatest being, God must exist

  3. Conclusion: God exists
• Kant's objections show that the argument is not a proof, it merely shows that if God exists necessarily
• Anselm uses deductive reasoning in his argument
• Anselm uses Analytic statements in his argument
• Saying 'a unicorn is a white horse with a horn' is logically true but not necessarily true
• Anselm's reasoning is apriori, known independent of any experience
• God is described as the greatest conceivable being
• Anselm's argument can be understood through the application of logic alone