Ontological Argument Flashcards

1
Q

Name the scholars who support the Ontological Argument

A

Anselm, Descartes, N Malcom, Plantinga

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2
Q

Name the critics of the Ontological Argument

A

Gaunilo, Kant, Hume, Russell

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3
Q

What is Anselm’s definition of God?

A

That than which nothing greater can be conceived

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4
Q

What is Anselm’s starting point in his first argument?

A

“The fool says in his heart, there is no God”, a quote from the Psalms

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5
Q

What is Anselm trying to do with his ontological argument?

A

It is a prayer, trying to show how evident it is to him that God exists.

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6
Q

What does Anselm suggest is greater?

A

To exist in the mind and reality, is greater than existing in the mind alone

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7
Q

What is Anselm’s example

A

The painter and the painting

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8
Q

What example did we use in class to support Anselm’s idea of mind and reality?

A

Chocolate

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9
Q

What is Anselm’s conclusion?

A

As God is the greatest conceivable being, and it is greater to exist in mind AND reality, God must exist

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10
Q

What does Anselm add in his second argument

A

The idea of necessary and contingent beings

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11
Q

What does necessary mean?

A

Cannot fail to exist; relies on nothing for its existence

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12
Q

What does contingent mean?

A

Can exist or not exist, relies on something else for its existence

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13
Q

What analogy does Gaunilo use to challenge Anselm’s first argument?

A

The greatest conceivable island

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14
Q

What is Gaunilo’s other argument against Anslem?

A

About gossip

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15
Q

What is Gaunilo’s book called?

A

“On behalf of the Fool”

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16
Q

What does Plantinga mean by intrinsic maxim?

A

Maximally great, cannot be improved or made greater

17
Q

How does Plantinga support Anselm against Gaunilo?

A

The island has no intrinsic maxim (it can be improved) but God has an intrinsic maxim

18
Q

What is Descartes’ definition of God?

A

A supremely perfect being

19
Q

What does Descartes state about existence?

A

Existence is a predicate

20
Q

What is a predicate?

A

It adds to the description of the subject or object

21
Q

What are Descartes’ two examples?

A

Triangle and mountain / valley

22
Q

What is the essence or predicates of a triangle?

A

Three sides and angles adding up to 180 degrees

23
Q

What is the predicate of God?

A

Existence

24
Q

What is the predicate of a mountain?

A

A valley

25
Q

What does Kant argue about Descartes’ use of predicates?

A

Existence is not a predicate

26
Q

What is Kant’s example?

A

100 thalers (silver coins) - existence does not add to their value so existence is not a predicate

27
Q

What does Kant say about statements of existence?

A

All existential statements are synthetic and require verification

28
Q

What is a synthetic statement?

A

A statement which needs external evidence to verify if it’s true/false.

29
Q

What is an analytic statement?

A

A statement that contains the truth needed to verify it within the statement itself

30
Q

What did Kant say it was logical reject?

A

Both the concept and its predicates

31
Q

How does Hume argue against the Ontological argument?

A

You cannot define something into existence

32
Q

What does Russell suggest is needed to establish existence?

A

An instance of something

33
Q

According to Russell, what syllogism would be true if Kant was right?

A

Men exist, Santa Claus is a man, Santa Claus exists