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Chapter 1: Religion Proving God: The Ontological Argument

Chapter 1: Religion Proving God: The Ontological Argument. Introducing Philosophy, 10th edition Robert C. Solomon, Kathleen Higgins, and Clancy Martin. The Ontological Argument. An argument from the idea of God to His necessary existence

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Chapter 1: Religion Proving God: The Ontological Argument

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  1. Chapter 1: ReligionProving God: The Ontological Argument Introducing Philosophy, 10th edition Robert C. Solomon, Kathleen Higgins, and Clancy Martin

  2. The Ontological Argument • An argument from the idea of God to His necessary existence • Because the argument depends on the idea of God’s existence, it is called ontological

  3. Saint Anselm (1033-1109) • Archbishop of Canterbury and author of the ontological argument for God’s existence • Was one of the main defenders of the intellect and “understanding” against the then-current anti-intellectualism of the Church • Best known for his Monologion and Proslogion, in which the ontological argument is developed

  4. Anselm’s Argument • The concept of “God” is defined as “a being greater than which none can be thought” • Then, Anselm asks, “which would be greater, a being who is merely thought, or a being who actually exists?” • The answer is a being who actually exists; but since God is, by definition, the greatest being who can be thought, He must therefore exist

  5. Descartes’ Version • I cannot conceive of a God without the property of His existence (“His existence cannot be separated from His essence”) • Therefore, God exists • Then he adds: My conception of God is such that He has every sort of perfection. Existence is a perfection. Therefore, God necessarily exists

  6. Objections • Define a “grenlin” as “the greenest imaginable creature” • Which is greener, a green creature that does exist or one that does not? Obviously the one that exists • Therefore, at least one grenlin must exist

  7. Objections • The grenlin objection is a version of the objection raised against Anselm by Gaunilo of Marmoutier, who suggested the existence of an island more perfect than any other, on the same grounds that it would be contradictory for the most perfect island not to exist • Anselm replied that the argument cannot be applied to islands or anything else whose nonexistence is conceivable

  8. Kant on the Ontological Argument • “Existence is not a predicate” (like “green” is a predicate) • “Existence” or “being” isn’t a “real predicate” because it does not tell us anything more about whatever is said to have existence or being • E.g.: “this apple is red, round, ripe, and exists”

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