Ontological Argument for God Introduction to Philosophy Jason M. Chang.
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Ontological Argument for God Introduction to Philosophy Jason M. Chang
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Transcript of Ontological Argument for God Introduction to Philosophy Jason M. Chang.
Ontological Argument for GodIntroduction to PhilosophyJason M. Chang
Lecture Outline
1. Background
2. Major ideas
3. The argument
4. ObjectionsA. Gaunilo’s objectionB. Perfect objectionC. Kant’s objection
Background
Background
o Definition of “ontology”
o A priori vs. a posteriori
o St. Anselm of Canterbury
St. Anselm 1033-1109 AD
Major ideas
Major ideas in the ontological argument
• Necessary vs. contingent attributes
o Definition
• Attributes of a Perfect Being (the greatest possible being)
Major ideas
Major ideas in the ontological argument
• Existence in reality vs. existence only in the understanding
• Anselm on existence
o The claim
o Reasoning
The argument
(P1) God is the greatest possible being.
(P2) Existence in reality is greater than existing only in the understanding.
Therefore,
(C) God must exist (given that He is the greatest possible being)
Note: This is a simplified version of Anselm’s argument. In the original version, Anselm shows that believing that the greatest possible being exists only in the understanding leads to a contradiction. (reductio)
Common objections
Gaunilo’s objection
Gaunilo’s objection
• Strategy
o Refute (P2)
• Perfect island
Gaunilo of Marmoutiers
Gaunilo’s objection
“Suppose that a person tried to prove to me by this reasoning that this island actually exists […] [If I believed him], I would not know which I ought to regard as the greater fool: perhaps myself for supposing that I should allow this proof, perhaps him for supposing that he had established with any certainty the existence of this island”
Perfect murder objection
Greatest demon objection
• Strategy
o Denies that “existence” makes a thing greater
• Q Is something really greater if it exists in the world than if it exists only in the mind?
Perfect murder objection
Things in which “existence” adds to their
goodness
Things in which “existence” detracts from their goodness
Kant’s objection
Kant’s objection
• Strategy
o Deny that “existence” is an attribute
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
Kant’s objection
Attributes are characteristics or properties ascribed to something
-Intelligent-Witty-Thin-Fit
Many of these attributes can add to the value of something
Kant EXISTENCE is not an attribute
