In this document you will get access to a plan and a 20/20 Essay explaining the Ontological Argument and imbedding numerous philosophers. The plan is relatively simple and easy to follow. Being out of A level these essays were crucial in aiding my studies and through continuous use I was able to a...
“Examine the different versions of the Ontological Argument for the existence of God as
presented by Anselm and Malcom”.
Paragraph 1:
Anselm- Archbishop of Canterbury
Benedictine Monk
Developed Ontological Argument-prove the existence of God and deem it logical
Deductive- Premises logically entail the conclusions
Based on prior knowledge- no form of previous experience or empirical Evidence.
Paragraph 2
Outlined his argument- in book ‘Proslogian 2’ and ‘Proslogian 3’
Promotes “faith seeking understanding”- use logic to demonstrate the rationality of faith
2 ways an argument can exist
Either exist in reality or in the mind
Defined God as “that which no greater can be conceived”
For God to be omnipotent and transcendent- must exist in both reality and in the mind
Otherwise- opens the possibility of something Greater
Using definition of God to substantiate his existence
Atheist-don't need to have understanding of God to know that if he exists, he has to possess
these characteristics
paragraph 3
Anselm- proslogian 3
counter argue Gaunilo-applied logic to a ‘mythical lost island’
explain this example
Anselm-only applies to necessary being
island is full of contingent objects-logic is unable to be applied
argued all humans/objects apart from God are contingent
Due to the fact God is that which no greater can be conceived-must by definition have
necessary existence
paragraph 4
Norman Malcolm-revived the ontological argument 20th century
counter argue Rene Descartes- idea that existed is an essence to God's character
argued existence is not a predicate
Predicate- something that adds to the essence of the object, cannot be used as a defining
characteristic
Malcolm-like and argument to proslogian 3
imposed importance of gods necessity
in order to have a God he must have necessary existence
cannot spontaneously come into existence if he didn’t already exist and cannot cease to
exist
Therefore, Gods existence is either impossible or necessary
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller anniyahkulsoom. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $19.87. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
