Explain the various forms of the ontological argument

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Tom Hadden

“Explain The Various Forms of the Ontological Argument.”

a)         There are a number of different ways to try and prove the existence of God. Most of these arguments have one thing in common, namely their starting points are based on experience; they are “A Posteriori,” arguments. The Ontological argument, is totally different to all of these as it is an “A Priori,” argument. Meaning that: It does not start from experience; it arrives at the existence of God by analysing God’s essence; finally if the argument succeeds, unlike the other arguments, there is no longer any doubt that God exists.

The thing that this argument hinges on is what one understands by, “necessity.” Once one has understood this concept then they can come to grips with the argument. On the other hand, if one fails to understand then they will not be able to appreciate the argument. The Ontological argument starts with the statement that God is necessary. The phrase that Anselm uses is “de dicto necessary,” meaning that the definition of God makes him necessary. It claims that once we discover the meaning of God, it is logically absurd to suggest his non-existence.

The man who first suggested this argument was St Anselm (1033-1109.) Unsurprisingly he starts this argument with a definition of God, defining him as “That than which nothing greater can be conceived,” this being the definition he gave in the Proslogion. After defining what Anselm understood to be God he laid out an argument in a series of propositions, which proceed as follows. God is by definition something that than which nothing greater can be conceived. This definition is known to Atheists and Theists. It is one thing to exist in the mind alone and another to exist in reality and the mind. It is greater to exist in both than just in the mind. Therefore, God must exist both in the mind and in reality as if this was not the case we could conceive of something greater. In summary, what Anselm is saying is that God can be proved to exist merely by analysing what it means to be God.

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Anselm developed a second form of this argument to show that God had a necessary existence, as it was impossible to think of him not existing, showing that God is eternal and has always been. He does this with the following series of premises. It is greater to be a necessary being (a being that cannot not be,) than a contingent being (a being that can cease to exist.) If God exists contingently, then a greater being could be imagined; one who cannot be conceived not to exist. This being would then be greater than God. God is therefore ...

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