The Ontological Argument For The Existence Of - words... super
Post a Comment. Specifically, Anselm's concept and defence of God as a perfect as well as necessary being, framed in what has come to known as the ontological argument, where ontology refers to the study of being or existence. It's a good moment to discuss the prevailing view of reality that philosophy until that time was operating under, the debt that Christian theology owed to especially Platonic philosophy, as well as how some of the underlying presuppositions of Christianity described a very different conception of God than that held by the Greeks. The Ontological Argument. I remember the first time I encountered the argument I was completely lost. First of all, it's hardly concise, being spread out over at least a couple of chapters that themselves cannot be easily extricated from a larger work.The Ontological Argument For The Existence Of Video
The Ontological Argument The Ontological Argument For The Existence Of
About the Author
Abstract: Anselms's Ontological Argument is stated, and a few standard objections to his argument are listed. Anselm, "Ontological Argument" Philosophy of Religion. Introduction to Philosophy Anselm's "Ontological Argument" Abstract: Anselms's Ontological Argument is stated, and a few standard objections to his argument are listed.
Anselm of Canterbury was a Neoplatonic Realist and was often called "the second Augustine. Other existent things in the world are The Ontological Argument For The Existence Of from archetypes. The general idea of the ontological argument is based on the notion that the concept of God as the greatest being implies that God exists—if not, there could be something greater, namely an existent greatest being—but this being would be God. The structure of the Ontological Argument can be outlined as follows The argument is based on Anselm's Proslogion 2 : We conceive of God as a being than which no greater can be conceived.
from St. Anselm to contemporary philosophers. With an introd. by Richard Taylor.
This being than which no greater can be conceived either exists in the mind alone or both in the mind and in reality. Assume that this being than which no greater can be conceived exists in the mind alone. Existing both in the mind and in reality is greater than existing solely in the mind. This being, existing in the mind alone, can also be conceived to exist in reality. This being existing in the mind alone is not see more the being than which no greater can be conceived. See statement 1 above. Therefore, this being than which no greater can be conceived exists in reality as well as exists in the mind.
Philosophy of Religion
Some standard objections to the Ontological Argument are listed below. References to the formal logical background given below can be safely omitted by the introductory student. The Perfect Island Objection : Gaunilo argues that the concept of a perfect island does not thereby prove the existence of an island. Perfection in this case does not imply "existence.
by Alvin Plantinga
Cf, the strategy Existejce analogical refutations in syllogistic logic at Refutation by Means of Devising a Logical Analogy. The important logical point is that true premises and a false conclusion can never occur in a valid argument. If we can construct a similar argument to a given argument with the same form as the original The Ontological Argument For The Existence Of true premisses and a false conclusion, then the given argument is also shown to be invalid. Anselm's Reply: There is no contradiction in denying the existence of a perfect island, but there is in denying God's existence. Anselm notes the only way God can be conceived of not to exist is to conceive of the word "God" source existing since this kind of perfection implies existence. Note: it's difficult to phrase Anslem's objection without circularity— cf, the here fallacy of petitio principii.
The "Fool's Objection" : Anselm's definition of God as " the being than which no Argumebt can be conceived" is impossible to understand—there is no clear and distinct idea of a "being than which no greater can be conceived.
Anselm's Reply: If one does not understand the definition, then one is a fool. You cannot argue with a fool. Anselm here can be charged with committing the fallacy of ad hominem. Anselm believes that one must suppose a minimum of intelligence in anyone considering the argument—but, of course, the burden of proof in this regard is on Anselm.
Exietencethe related ideas of the prinicple of charity and the argumentum ad ignorantiam Objection of "Existence is not a Predicate" :In the consideration of any idea one cannot get outside of the conception to reality; Anselm's argument compares the conception of existing The Ontological Argument For The Existence Of the mind with the conception of existing in reality.
Yet, an argument can only deal with concepts, not existent things in the external world. As Immanuel Kant argues, one cannot compare the value of the idea of thalers i.
We assume Exiatence in our conversation and arguments—we do not prove existence. Consider this case: One doesn't laud someone you are to marry to your folks, and the add, "Oh by the way, that person really exists. One cannot prove existence. So any such argument presupposes the existence of the subject it talks about.]
At you inquisitive mind :)