ontological

• the ontological argument is a priori and deductive
• anselms first argument

  god is the greatest conceivable being

  it is greater to exist in the mind and in reality rather than just the mind

  to be the greatest god must exist in reality as well as the mind

  therefore god exists
• god is a being who is ‘that than which nothing greater can be conceived
• a god who only exists in the mind is inferior to a real god
• aquinas objection - we can't imagine god
• anselms second version

  imagine the GCB

  contingent being are inferior to necessary beings

  god must have necessary existence to be the GCB

  god necessarily exists
• gaunilo's objection

  reductio ad absurdum

  consider the BPI

  the BPI couldn't be the BPI if it only existed in the mind

  it must therefore exist in reality to be the BPI

  but it doesn't idiot

  we cannot define things into existence

  • second form
• kant's objection

  existence is not a predicate, it isn't a property or characteristic of something

  the definition is analytic but whether it exists is synthetic

  russell - cows are brown, cows are brown and they exist
• kant's objection counterpoint

  existence is a predicate

  davis - real money has the property of being able to buy things in the realworld, imaginary money doesn't. Saying money exists adds information
• status as a proof

  deductive - if the premises are true the conclusion is true

  just shows that IF god exists, he exists necessarily

  barth - faith based acceptance
• value for religious faith

  faith seeking understanding

  faith is beyond reason

  h h price