Deductive Arguments

Question 1

What is a deductive argument?

Answer 1

An argument based on logic and a priori knowledge forming a conclusion that is necessarily true

Question 2

What is the ontological argument?

Answer 2

Deductive reasoning using premises based on the characteristics of God

Question 3

What were Anselm’s dates and work?

Answer 3

1033-1109, Proslogian

Question 4

What is Anselm’s first argument?

Answer 4

• God is a BTWNGCBC
• It is foolish to deny God because you must have a concept of God to know what not to believe in

Question 5

What is Anselm’s second argument?

Answer 5

• Existence in ne is greater than existence in intellectu
• God is a BTWNGCBC so must exist in ne

Question 6

What is Anselm’s third argument?

Answer 6

• A necessary being is greater than a contingent being
• God is BTWNGCBC so must be necessary

Question 7

How did Anselm view atheism?

Answer 7

A self-delusion in order to live a life of injustice and corruption

Question 8

What was Gaunilo’s work?

Answer 8

‘In Behalf of the Fool’

Question 9

What is reductio ad absurdum?

Answer 9

Anselm’s argument can be used for the existence of anything at all, which is absurd

Question 10

What is the perfect island analogy?

Answer 10

• a perfect island cannot have the deficiency of being merely a concept and so must exist
• this is clearly ridiculous

Question 11

What was Anselm’s response to Gaunilo?

Answer 11

• God is unique with no intrinsic maximum and has a necessary existence whereas an island is contingent

Question 12

What was Descartes’ work?

Answer 12

Meditations

Question 13

What is Descartes’ ontological argument?

Answer 13

• God is a SPB, which humans have an innate awareness of
• Existence is a predicate of perfection

Question 14

What is the triangle analogy?

Answer 14

A defining predicate of a triangle is that it has 3 sides and 3 internal angles

Question 15

What is the mountain and valleys analogy?

Answer 15

It is impossible to imagine a mountain without a valley

Question 16

What was Kant’s work?

Answer 16

Critique of Pure Reason

Question 17

What was Kant’s objection to Descartes?

Answer 17

• predicate describes a characteristic
• existence is not a quality it just shows something has been actualised

Question 18

What is the 100 thalers analogy?

Answer 18

If you imagine 100 thalers, the quality of existence makes no difference to the image of the thalers

Question 19

What is the unicorn analogy?

Answer 19

A unicorn is made a unicorn by its horn, it does not require existence to be defined

Question 20

What was Kant’s response to the triangle analogy?

Answer 20

It is a logical necessity for a triangle to have 3 angles but not for it to exist

Question 21

What are Malcolm’s dates?

Answer 21

1911-1990

Question 22

What arguments did Malcolm agree and disagree with?

Answer 22

• disagreed with Proslogion 2 and SPB
• agreed with Proslogion 3

Question 23

What is Malcolm’s argument?

Answer 23

1. God’s existence could be impossible, however his nature is not self-contradictory
2. God’s existence could be possible, but possibility is contingent and requires an external cause
3. Therefore God must be necessary

Question 24

Psalms 14:1 and 53:1

Answer 24

‘The fool says in his heart, “there is no God”’

Question 25

In ne and in intellectu - Anselm

Answer 25

'There is absolutely no doubt that something-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought exists in both the mind and in reality'

Question 26

Innate understanding of SPB - Descartes

Answer 26

'The idea of God, or a supremely perfect being, is one that I find within me as surely as any shape or number'

Question 27

What is a priori knowledge?

Answer 27

Without experience, drawing conclusions based on principles of logic

Question 28

How was Descartes influenced by Greek philosophy?

Answer 28

They believed that to change was to be imperfect, perfection comes from being immutable (potentiality and actuality)

Question 29

What was the focal conclusion of Malcolm's argument?

Answer 29

If God exists at all, he must exist in an eternal, necessary way

Question 30

Kant - predicate

Answer 30

''being' is obviously not a real predicate'

Question 31

Island - Gaunilo

Answer 31

'you cannot doubt that this island, which is more excellent than any other lands, truly exists'