criticisms

• the main criticisms of the ontological argument come from Gaunilo + Kant
• Gaunilo's criticism follows the same structure as Anselm using the example of a perfect island:

  • idea of a perfect island - it cannot exist in reality
  • just because you can think of something, doesn't mean it exists in reality
• Anselm responded to Gaunilo's critique:

  • everything on a perfect island is contingent
  • it is impossible to quantify the idea of a perfect island
  • God possesses necessary existence, so the logic of a perfect island doesn't apply to God
• Kant's first objection to the ontological argument was:

  • existence is not a predicate - it adds nothing to the concept of a thing; 'God exists' adds nothing to the concept of a God that exists
• Kant's second objection to the ontological argument was:

  • we can only know there is a God by experiencing God through the senses
  • 'God exists necessarily' is logically true because that is how we define God, but does not follow that there really is a God
  • just because we can think God exist, doesn't mean he's real