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
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