Ontological Argument

Subdecks (1)

Cards (12)

  • Ontological Argument
    1. The nature of a trinagle is fixed and unchanging.
    2. When one thinks of a triangle they think of a 3 angled shape
    3. I know a priori the nature of a traingle
    4. Anything else is a not a traingle
    5. In the same way the nature of God is fixed
    6. When you think of God, you think of his existence
    7. This as the concept of God includes existence
    8. Existence and essence cannot be separated
    9. therefore God exists
  • Decartes has a rational intuitio that a perfect God exists
  • The ontological argument suggests that a supremely perfect being must have the property of existence. If he did not exist then he would lack perfection and therefore not be supremely perfect
  • Decartes then says as a result of the ontological argument the claim that God does not exist is a contradiction
  • Anselms Ontological Argument
    1. The greatest being conceived exists in the mind
    2. It is greater to exist in reality than to exist in the mind
    3. Therefore the greatest conceivabe being exists not only in the mind but in reality
    4. Therefore, God exists in reality
  • Decartes Ontological Argument

    God is all perfect
    Necessary existence is a perfection
    If God has necessary existence, then God exists
  • Thinking of a God that does not exist is akin to thinking of a triangle wothout 3 sides. It is a logical contradiction to do so