The Ontological argument

• What is the main topic of the summary notes provided?

  The Ontological argument
• Which examination board are the summary notes for?

  OCR Philosophy
• What are the two versions of the summary notes available?

  • A* – A grade summary notes
  • B – C grade summary notes
• What is the first premise (P1) of Anselm's ontological argument?


  God is the greatest conceivable being
• What does premise P2 of Anselm's argument state?


  It is greater to exist in the mind and reality than in the mind alone
• What is premise P3 of Anselm's argument?

  God exists in the mind
• What conclusion (C1) does Anselm reach based on his premises?

  God exists in reality
• How does Malcolm interpret the idea of the greatest being?

  As God being unlimited and not dependent on anything else for existence
• What does Malcolm argue about God's limitations?

  God has no limitation which could possibly cause God's non-existence
• What is Gaunilo's counter-argument to Anselm's logic?

  He applies it to the concept of the greatest possible island to show absurdity
• What does Gaunilo suggest about the implications of Anselm's argument?

  It suggests reality would be overloaded with greatest possible things, which seems absurd
• What does Gaunilo deny about the ontological argument?

  He denies that the conclusion follows from the premises
• How does Gaunilo's critique compare to Anselm's logic?


  Gaunilo's critique is not particularly strong as it does not demonstrate actual absurdity
• What is the key difference between God and an island according to the evaluation?

  An island is contingent by definition, while God is necessary
• Why can't a priori reasoning prove the existence of a contingent thing?

  Because its existence depends on whether what it depends on happens to exist
• What does the definition of the greatest island imply about its existence?

  The greatest island would still be the greatest island even if it didn’t exist
• What does Anselm argue about the definition of the greatest being?


  There is nothing in the definition that implies dependence
• How does Anselm respond to Gaunilo's critique regarding understanding God?


  Anselm argues we only need to understand that God is the greatest imaginable being
• What analogy does Anselm use to illustrate understanding God?

  We cannot look directly at the sun, but we can still see sunlight
• What fallacy does Gaunilo commit according to the evaluation?


  He commits a straw man fallacy by attacking a claim Anselm didn’t make
• What is Kant's critique regarding existence as a predicate?

  Kant argues that existence is not a predicate
• How does Kant illustrate his point about existence not being a predicate?


  By saying 'the cat exists' does not describe the cat itself
• What does Kant conclude about God if God did not exist?


  God would be just as great/perfect even if non-existent
• How does Kant's criticism compare to Gaunilo's?


  Kant's criticism is stronger because it points out the assumption the ontological argument makes
• What is Descartes' position on the ontological argument?

  Descartes claims that God's existence can be known through rational intuition
• How does Descartes illustrate his argument about God and existence?


  He uses the analogy of a triangle, which cannot exist without three sides
• What does Malcolm argue about necessary existence?

  Malcolm argues that necessary existence is a defining quality of a necessary being
• How does Malcolm respond to Kant's critique?


  He says it makes no sense to say that a necessary being could possibly not exist
• What does Malcolm establish about God's necessity?


  God is necessary in the sense of being non-dependent, not in the sense of must exist
• What conclusion can be drawn about ontological arguments based on the evaluations?

  Ontological arguments cannot show that God actually exists
• What are the key critiques of the ontological argument discussed?

  • Gaunilo's critique using the greatest possible island
  • Kant's critique that existence is not a predicate
  • Malcolm's defense of Anselm and Descartes