Ontological Arguments (God)

Question 1

Assumptions about god

Answer 1

• He’s perfect: omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent.
• He has necessary existence (true by definition)
• They don’t show god created the universe

Question 2

Anselm’s argument: greatest conceivable being

Answer 2

P1. God is defined as the greatest conceivable (Nothing greater can be conceived)

P2. Even an atheist can conceive of God as the greatest possible being

P3. It is greater to exist in the understanding and in reality rather than in understanding alone

C. Therefore the greatest possible being, God, must exist in understanding and reality

For god to be the greatest conceivable being, he must exist in reality, as well as have all the perfections.

• 2 universes example of god existing in reality in one and not the other, it’s greater for him to exist in reality. So as the greatest conceivable being, he must exist in reality.

Question 3

Guanilo’s objection: Greatest conceivable island

Answer 3

P1. There is a lost island which is the most excellent of all islands.

P2. No one had difficulty conceiving of this lost island as the most excellent island - it exists in our understanding.

P3. It is more excellent to exist in the understanding and in reality.

C. Therefore the lost island, the most excellent of all islands, must exist.

Question 4

Descartes perfection argument for God’s existence: Supremely perfect being

Answer 4

P1: I have an idea of God (Supremely perfect being)
P2. A supremely perfect being must have all perfections.
P3. Existence is a perfection
C. Therefore God exists

Question 5

Descartes view of predicates and subjects + relation to God

Answer 5

Some predicates are a necessary part of their subject.

• e.g. ‘internal angles adding up to 180 degrees’ is a predicate of the subject ‘triangle’.

Existence is predicate which is part of the definition of God, as it is a perfection.

• God exists is a truth by definition, it would be a logical contradiction to say he doesn’t exist
• (God, who exists, does not exist)

Question 6

Kant’s objection to Descartes: Existence is not a predicate

Answer 6

P1. A genuine predicate adds to our conception of a subject and helps us to determine it

P2. ‘Existence’ does not add to our conception of a subject or help to determine it

C. Therefore existence is not a genuine predicate

A real predicate is a predicate which helps in the determination of a thing… Existence is obviously not a real predicate

Question 7

Humes fork objection to a priori arguments for existence

Answer 7

a priori arguments aim to say God’s existence is a Relation of Ideas - He’s real by definition

However, any being’s existence cannot be proven a priori as that being’s non-existence would not be a contradiction.

• We can imagine God not existing and existing, so it’s absurd to say his existence is a relation of ideas (an analytic truth)

Question 8

Necessary vs contingent existence

Answer 8

Necessary existence:

• Is unlimited, doesn’t depend on anything else for its existence
• must exist (unconceivable to not exist)
• cannot be caused to come into existence or ceased to exist

Contingent existence:

• Is limited, dependant on others for their existence
• conceivable to not exist
• is caused to come into existence and to cease to exist

Question 9

Malcom’s argument for God’s necessary existence

Answer 9

God cannot come into existence.

• So if he doesn’t exist, his existence is impossible. (as it’s impossible for him to be caused to exist)

God cannot cease to exist.

• So if he does exist, his existence is necessary. (and he can’t be ceased to exist).

Therefore Gods existence is either impossible or necessary.

Somethings existence is impossible if it’s self-contradictory, but God’s existence is not self-contradictory.

Therefore God’s existence is not impossible and is rather necessary.

Meaning God has necessary existence.