Logical Arguments on the Existence and Meaning of God
Logical Arguments on the Existence and Meaning of God
The ontological argument is an argument for the existence of God. It is a reflection on the meaning of the word God; it is an a priori argument. This could be seen as a major strength of the Ontological argument it does not depend on evidence. It is what it is. For example how do we know a bear is an animal? Because as part of the definition of bear we know it is an animal, in the same way God is the definition of God. It is an analytic statement; existence is God as an animal is a bear. Therefore God is necessarily true because the predicate is included in subject of the statement. He is ‘de dicto’, a logical necessity.
God is defined by the statement God is, if it is said that God exists this implies he didn’t exist before and will cease to exist at some point but the statement God is does not imply anything, God will always be, and has always been he is timeless and eternal.
It doesn’t make sense to ask if God exists. If there is no God then where did the idea come from? Descartes argued that it is illogical to think of God without existence it is like thinking of a triangle and not a shape with three angles. God is a logical necessity therefore God must exist, this argument was put forward by Anselm he thought that it was possible to conceive of a being, the existence of which is necessary, and God must be such a being if he is
‘That which nothing greater can be conceived’
Because there must be something that nothing greater can be thought of.
Descartes argued
‘God is a supremely perfect being’
And that existence is perfection; this means that God must exist, as he is ‘supremely perfect’
The Ontological argument does not rely on or involve faith or religion. In this respect in can apply to everyone and the do not have to belong to a particular religious group or set of beliefs.
There are also weaknesses to the Ontological argument as illustrated by Guanaco and Kant in particular. Gaunilo argued against Anselm’s argument by suggesting that he can imagine ‘The most perfect island’ does this mean that that island exists somewhere? However Gaunilos argument also has its flaws as he suggests that it is logical...