Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

The Ontological Argument - Describe and explain the ontological argument for the existence of God.

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Philosophy. The Ontological Argument. 1) Describe and explain the ontological argument for the existence of God. The ontological argument is an a priori argument. The arguments attempt to prove Gods existence from the meaning of the word God. The ontological argument was introduced by Anselm of Canterbury in his book Proslogion. Anselms classical argument was based on two principals and the two most involved in this is St Anselm of Canterbury as previously mentioned and Rene Descartes. The ontological argument argues that if you understand what it means to talk about God, you will see His existence is necessarily true. Anselm defined God as 'that than which nothing greater can be conceived', hence God must exist. Anselm also believed that even atheist had a definition for God even just to disregard his existence; hence God exists in the mind. Anselm said this is so because that which exists in reality is greater than that which exists purely in the mind. In the words of Anselm, "Therefore, Lord, not only are You that than which nothing greater can be conceived but you are also something greater than can be conceived. ...read more.

Middle

Descartes and Anselm responded to these challenges. Anselm said that God was an exception to the rule. In his reply to Gaunilo he said "If any man shall devise anything existing in reality or in concept alone except that than which a greater cannot be conceived to which he can adapt the sequence of my reasoning, I will discover that thing, and will give him his lost island never to be lost again." Since only God has every and all perfections, the argument only applies to God. The Psalmist in Psalms 14:1 says that "The fool has said there is no God." Descartes and Anselm thought that this verse referred to one who says, "God does not exist," since only a fool would say that, because they would not know what it means to speak of God. This would be like someone saying that a triangle does not have three sides. That person just doesn't know what it means to speak of triangles. The concept of understanding God through the ontological argument is a tough idea to grasp, and the debates over it still continue today. This may not be the only (or best) ...read more.

Conclusion

Therefore the only thing this test proves is that God is not the God of some non-Christian religion. However, there is a test you can do which will give valid results. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16) "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him." (John 14:21) This is the only valid direct test for the Christian God's existence. The Bible never defines God as infinite, but defines Him as existing beyond the limitations of our four dimensional universe. This does not mean that He is infinite. Some Christians have said that God is infinite, but this concept cannot be supported biblically. The only characteristic of God described as infinite is His knowledge or understanding. Therefore, the argument does not hold, since the God of Christianity is not described as infinite. It is for this reason the ontological argument can fail as a theistic proof however it is not an easy answer to the question as it holds both 'for' and 'against' reasoning for the theistic proof in the existence of God. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Existence of God section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related GCSE Existence of God essays

  1. 'An analysis of arguments for the existence of God will result in valid philosophical ...

    argument with the same form as Anselm's, with true premises, and yet which leads to a false conclusion. We can conceive of an island with all perfections, but this does not guarantee the existence of such an island or bring it into existence.

  2. Explain the Ontological argument.

    He developed the physical notion of 'two worlds'. In each of the two worlds there is a being of maximal greatness, but this does not necessarily mean God. Plantinga's argument states that in order to be maximally great, a being only has to be possible in each world.

  1. The Existence of God

    There may be more complex things that our universe out there it's just that we had never seen or experienced it. Also everything we do know about the universe tells us that it was formed not created. Furthermore complex events and things are created all the time.

  2. "The Ontological Argument fails to prove God's existence"

    The concept of a unicorn is a blib, and the unicorn in actual existence is a blob. Law says that the ontological argument moves directly from a blib to a blob. However, we can only prove the theoretical existence of a unicorn, not its empirical existence, as we are yet to find a unicorn in existence.

  1. The Ontological Argument

    Descartes first stated that because God is a supremely perfect being, He possesses all perfections. This perfect state includes existence. Existence is a predicate of a perfect being. Therefore, God exists. Descartes argued that God must exist in the same way as a triangle must have three sides - existence is a predicate of God.

  2. "Modern visions of the Ontological Argument are more successful than early versions"

    Hume (1711-1776) argued that although God could exist, he could also not exist, nothing necessarily exists and so even God is contingent, he rejected Anselm's argument purely on the basis that there was no such thing as necessary existence. Kant (1724-1804) also criticised Anselm's argument2 by arguing that the notion of existence is being treated as the wrong logical type.

  1. Outline the Design Argument for the Existence of God

    that everything was created as depicted in the Bible, and this argument totally contradicted these ideas, and pointed them all out to be probability. These radical opinions caused public outrage. The idea was so new, extreme, and far from the common belief, it had a huge impact on the public view of God.

  2. The Nature of God Religious Studies Coursework. I am going to explain, discuss and ...

    The last argument is the moral argument. The fourth purported proof of the existence of God is the moral argument and although a weak and scarcely upheld argument it is still regarded as one by some philosophers.. The moral argument seeks to prove the existence of God from the fact that there are moral laws.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work