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The ontological argument is a philosophical argument for the existence of God.

It was first proposed


by the medieval philosopher St. Anselm of Canterbury and has been debated and refined by many
philosophers since then. The argument is based on the concept of God as the greatest conceivable
being and attempts to prove that the existence of such a being is necessary.

The ontological argument is a deductive argument, meaning that if the premises are true, the
conclusion must also be true. The argument is structured as follows:

1. Premise 1: God is defined as the greatest conceivable being.


2. Premise 2: It is greater to exist in reality than in the mind alone.
3. Conclusion: Therefore, God must exist in reality.

One of the strengths of the ontological argument is its simplicity and logical structure. It does not
rely on empirical evidence or personal experience, but rather on the concept of God as the greatest
conceivable being. This makes it a strong argument for those who already believe in the existence of
God.

However, the ontological argument has also faced criticism. One of the main objections is the idea
that existence is not a predicate. In other words, existence cannot be used as a quality or
characteristic of something. Another criticism is that the argument assumes that there is only one
possible conception of God, which may not be the case.

Despite these criticisms, the ontological argument continues to be a topic of debate and has been
refined and defended by many philosophers. It is a thought-provoking and intriguing argument that
challenges our understanding of the concept of God.

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In conclusion, the ontological argument is a fascinating philosophical argument that attempts to prove
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Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics) Your privacy is extremely important to us. We utilize
security vendors that protect and ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping your private
information safe. Anselm supports his argument by saying that when ‘a fool hears what I am
saying... he understands what he hears … even if he doesn’t understand that it exists’. In other words
for a person to deny God he must understand the concept ... Philosophy
12RTR must have an equivalent reality to be greater than even the
least significant thing in reality for God to be the greatest thought, God must exist. Anselm went on
to prove that God must exist in reality too since he exists in our thoughts. Anselm used the analogy
of how a painter imagines beforehand what he wants to paint. The painter has in his understanding
what he has not yet made but does not yet understand that it is. After he finishes painting it, he has it
both in his understanding and his thoughts and knows it exists. Gaunilo responded ... PPTX, 1.61
MB 1) God is a being than which nothing greater can be conceived. St. Anselm of Canterbury
was between the age seventy-six and seventy-seven when he died. He was born around the year
1033-1034 in Aosta, Lombardy and died on April 21, 1109 in Canterbury. St. Anselm contributed to
the philosophical system and tendencies of Christian thinkers known as “Scholasticism” (Pieper,
Josef). He also contributed to the discovery Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our
terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch. For
example, Descartes notion of existence of a perfectly supreme being is questionable because, unless
one proves that the reality of the Supreme Being is coherent, then the argument is void. It is
important to note here that, it is very hard for individuals to evaluate the concept of perfectionism
because the idea is relative depending on the conditions at hand. This resource hasn't been reviewed
yet The paper "Evaluation of Aquinas's Criticism on God's Existence and Self-evidence" intends to
delineate anselm's ontological argument about the existence of God and Thomas Aquinas' criticism
and refutation of the view that God's existence is self-evident.... However, Aquinas while refuting
the ontological argument seems to divest religion of its inherent need for faith and mysticism.... In
1078, he propounded his famous ontological argument for the existence of God in his well-known
book 'Proslogium'.... An A* grade example answer to a 25 mark question on ontological arguments.
This document also includes a bullet-point essay plan to help students understand how to structure
their essays for maximum marks. This resource hasn't been reviewed yet Majority of existential
claims take little consideration of the conceptual nature of things, meaning that proof forms their
main mode of ascertaining concepts. In addition, in this like a case, senses take precedence, hence
formulation of appropriate mechanisms of proving the same by use of empirical methods. Formal
Approaches to the Ontological Not quite what you were looking for?Search by keyword to find the
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1000 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1548791-anselms-ontological-
argument PPTX, 4.32 MB Phil 201 quiz 7 liberty university.docx Course Hero, a Learneo, Inc.
business © 2008-2024 ResearchGate GmbH. All rights reserved. According to Hume, there is a clear
impression of the existence of animals such as dogs and cats as one can derive the concepts from
practical impressions. He argues that, since there are no clear impressions on the existence of God, his
existence can only be in our minds. The question I need help with is this "At Bats and Hits, the data
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This is the chart that follows: A the rationality of theistic belief). The ontological proof is the
basis of Anselm’s argument to prove God’s existence. According to Anselm the term ‘God’ contains
everything we need to know about God including the fact of his existence. Anselm defines God as
‘that than which nothing greater can be conceived’. If we recognize this definition to be true and
believe it is a tautology than we must accept that God possesses all perfections and therefore his
existence is necessary as something is only greater when it exists in reality than if it does not. Federal
University of Campina Grande, Brasil. PDF, 69.36 KB
a) Clarify the key concepts of the ontological argument for the existence of God. (12 marks) Anselm
of Canterbury ( 1033 – 1109) Anselm, also known as Anselmo d'Aosta, is described by Chambers
Biographical Dictionary as a scholastic philosopher and archbishop of Canterbury. Indeed a title
accorded to him, according to the Internet Dictionary of Philosophy, was the Scholastic Doctor. Born
in Italy, of a noble family, his mother saw that he To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers
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visiting ‘Using Thinkswap resources correctly’. Not quite what you were looking for?Search by
keyword to find the right resource: PDF, 50.49 KB Although this may be the interpretation of the
mightiest nature of God, further inquiry on the existence of some things makes it hard to believe it.
For instance, can God create a triangular circle? In this like a scenario, logic takes center stage,
hence putting into test the ability of God to go against the rules under which philosophy bases logic.
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One objection to Gaunilo’s counterargument grants Gaunilo his assertion that Anselm’s argument can
be used to define anything into existence, except for God. Anselm is not attempting to prove the
existence of unreal objects whose properties cannot be measured, only God, whose properties can be
measured, such as goodness, fairness, etc., of which there is a maximum. Part of this
counterargument takes into account the inherent properties of God, the greatest of all possible
beings. Unreal objects or objects whose properties cannot be measured therefore do not apply to this
argument form because the maximum can continue on to infinity, such as “a banana than which
nothing greater can be conceived.” Because it is always possible that a greater banana exists, and
because there is no basis for what is meant by “greater banana,” the form does not apply to such
objects, and therefore Gaunilo’s assertion that Anselm is making possible the existence of unreal
objects is false. Formal Approaches to the Ontological The Ontological Argument – Critique
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Essay Plans Clarify the key concepts of the ontological argument for the existence of God (26
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DOCX, 23.42 KB The minimum time our certified writers need to deliver Phil 201 quiz 7 liberty
university.docx We claim that Kant's doctrine of the "transcendental ideal of pure reason" contains,
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metatheoretical regulative and heuristic presuppositions of empirical theories into a hypothetical
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never a defining predicate, it cannot be a defining predicate for the existence of God’. Discuss. This
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Religious Studies A level examination. This is a preview of the whole essay There are other flaws in
Anselm’s argument. The fact is, even if we could imagine something which could not be imagined
not to exist, we can easily imagine God not existing, demonstrated by the many examples of people
trying to disprove his existence. Not quite what you were looking for?Search by keyword to find the
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Formal Approaches to the On- Save Your Time for More Important Things To ensure quality for our
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Ontological Argument Essay, Research Paper Reflection on TAG The Transcendental Argument for
God`s This essay discusses whether the ontological argument formulated by Anselm can justify
belief in God, referencing Kant, Anselm and Descartes. omnipotent. If really unsolvable, paradoxes
like this (this is the paradox of the “Dirty Pretty Things” Acts of Desperation: The State of Being
Desperate The Ontological Argument Essay Research Paper The |� IvyPanda. (2023, December 26).
Ontological Arguments: Anselm’s Ontological Argument. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ontological-
arguments-anselms-ontological-argument/ 24.00: Problems of Philosophy Prof. Sally Haslanger
September 12, 2005 「index.html」ファイルはRootディレクトリにアップロードされていますか?
Copyright © Christian B. Feest / philosophyalevel.com instantiated. Theists must of course try refute
claims like this; ideally, they must The ontological argument is associated mainly with St Anselm
and René Descartes. Anselm (1033 – 1109) was the first to devise the argument through a series of
works named "Proslogion", which attempted to prove both the nature and existence of God.
Anslem’s version originates from the meaning of the word ‘God’ by definition. He states that God is
a being “that than which nothing greater can be conceived.” Anselm’s argument is that if God as a
perfect being exists in our mind he must exist in reality as a God that did not exist could not be
perfect. All resources and lessons for the Eduqas specification on the Ontological Argument. On the
specification it is Component 2, Theme 1, subtheme DEF. There are full lessons, handouts and
activities/summary sheets for: 規約上の違反または迷惑行為のために、このサイトが凍
結されている anselm's ontological argument" will focus on major issues of apologetics in the modern
world– the one that defends the existence of God with the help of different approaches that are
based on evidence, logical conclusions, or other ideas.... In order to accomplish this, history of this
discipline will be discussed as well as its place in the modern world; the meaning, types, nature and
importance of apologetics will be explored; the strong and weak points of ontological argument
which was articulated by St....
Supplemental understanding of the topic including revealing main issues described in the particular
theme; The ontological argument for the existence of God relies on logic as a basis to substantiate
its claims. This type of argument is known as ‘a proiri’, as it is a claim based on knowledge
independent of experience. 4) If God exists only in the mind, then he is not a being than which
nothing greater can be conceived. Order Custom Paper must have an equivalent reality to be greater
than even the least significant thing in reality for God to be the greatest thought, God must exist.
Anselm went on to prove that God must exist in reality too since he exists in our thoughts. Anselm
used the analogy of how a painter imagines beforehand what he wants to paint. The painter has in his
understanding what he has not yet made but does not yet understand that it is. After he finishes
painting it, he has it both in his understanding and his thoughts and knows it exists. Gaunilo
responded ... TurnItIn – the anti-plagiarism experts are also used by: King's College London,
Newcastle University, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, WJEC, AQA, OCR and
Edexcel PPTX, 4.32 MB Then end the paragraph by saying ‘nevertheless this is not convincing
as…’ and go back to your line of argument against the question. According to Hume, there is a clear
impression of the existence of animals such as dogs and cats as one can derive the concepts from
practical impressions. He argues that, since there are no clear impressions on the existence of God,
his existence can only be in our minds. Signs – Arguments for and against the existence of God
Although this mechanism can work in both positive and negative existential claims, sometimes it is
possible to prove negative existential propositions by applying a reflective mechanism that one
should base on the content on ideas at hand. In this regard, the ontological argument is an exception
too because its premises try to ascertain the reality of existence. Your privacy is extremely important
to us. We utilize security vendors that protect and ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping
your private information safe. This resource hasn't been reviewed yet This question is asking you to
discuss ontological arguments (arguments that deduce God’s existence from the definition of God)
and argue that they either do or do not successfully prove God exists. This website and its content is
subject to our Terms and Conditions. Tes Global Ltd is registered in England (Company No
02017289) with its registered office at Building 3, St Paul’s Place, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JE
Notes: The argument was next revised by Rene Descartes in the 17th century. He took a different
approach to Anselm, by arguing that God, as the most perfect being imaginable would have to have
all perfections possible; existence being a key one. PDF, 4.64 KB An ungraded essay covering the
Ontological arguments for God’s existence as described by AQA A-Level specification 7172.
Philosophy 12RTR See more
IvyPanda. (2019, July 9). Ontological and Wager Argument. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ontological-
and-wager-argument/ DOCX, 81.18 KB Do ontological arguments prove God exists? (25 marks)
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DOCX, 857.7 KB Proving the existence of God can be thought of as a philosophical holy grail; the
question of the existence of a supremely perfect being has plagued philosophers throughout the
centuries, some sought proof in the design of our universe, others in the apparent complexity of our
world; all such proofs have relied on a posteriori observations of the world around us, making
inductive leaps from the premises they present; the ontological argument, however, relies on thought
alone, attempting to prove a priori the existence of God: once one has accepted the premises, the
conclusion becomes self evident. We will write a custom essay on your topic Essay can also be used
for different variations of the ontological argument. FC2ホームページのトップページへ戻る This is a
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‘nevertheless this is not convincing as…’ and go back to your line of argument against the question.
Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics) Powered by CiteTotal, bibliography maker PPTX, 1.05 MB
© 2013 - 2024 studylib.net all other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective
owners All resources and lessons for the Eduqas specification on the Ontological Argument. On the
specification it is Component 2, Theme 1, subtheme DEF. There are full lessons, handouts and
activities/summary sheets for: IvyPanda. (2019, July 9). Ontological and Wager Argument. https:/
/ivypanda.com/essays/ontological-and-wager-argument/ このページの管理者様の場合は、次の内
容をご確認ください。 Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our
customer service team will review your report and will be in touch. could be said to support the thesis
that theistic belief in irrational. Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and
conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch. St. Anselm of
Canterbury was between the age seventy-six and seventy-seven when he died. He was born around
the year 1033-1034 in Aosta, Lombardy and died on April 21, 1109 in Canterbury. St. Anselm
contributed to the philosophical system and tendencies of Christian thinkers known as
“Scholasticism” (Pieper, Josef). He also contributed to the discovery Saint Anselm. “Proslogium.”
Chapters II-IV: 1078. Elite • xx Found helpful • xx Pages • xx Years Old A more basic approach than
that would be to analyze the very concept of God. This resource hasn't been reviewed yet
Essay can also be used for different variations of the ontological argument. 2) God exists in the
understanding of the mind the way a painting exists in the mind of the painter before he paints it.
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Lesson 41 - Arguments for the Existence of God Supplemental understanding of the topic including
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Formal Approaches to the Ontological Argument and briefly introduces the ontological argument
from the standpoint of logic and philosophy of religion (more specifically the debate on the
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revision Copyright © 2023 service.graduateway.com. All rights reserved. The ontological
argument is different from any other argument for the existence of God, as it does not try and use
evidence to prove God’s existence. It states that by understanding the word God you already accept
that he exists; as to understand God is to understand that is it completely ‘necessary’ for God to exist
and so it does not make sense to question this. If, on the other hand, you do not understand what is
meant by God then you can’t even begin to understand what the argument is about. Report this
resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review
your report and will be in touch. To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have
purchased this resource can review it Ontological argument is a controversial argument that supports
the existence of God. The argument states that, since scholars and philosophers who oppose the
concept regarding the existence of God contradict themselves, they prove that God exists. According
to Hume and Kant, something must be real and visible for it to exist. For instance, Hume and Kant
use visible and tangible objects in their arguments. The Ontological Argument was, and still is, a hot-
topic for debate among philosophers; many famous philosophers have published criticisms of the
theory including Immanuel Kant and St. Thomas Aquinas. This obviously raises questions regarding
whether or not this argument works. While there is no clear-cut answer to these questions, I
personally believe that the negatives COPYRIGHT ©2024 Marked by Teachers, All rights Reserved
PPTX, 6.95 MB Do ontological arguments prove God exists? (25 marks) In realty most ontological
arguments are mere descriptions of thoughts or individual perceptions, hence they never directly
give insights on the existence of perfect beings. In addition, one main prerequisite of ontological
arguments is the selectivity of words as the main mechanism of explaining or proving concepts,
depending on the context under which individuals apply them. Anselm of Canterbury ( 1033 – 1109)
Anselm, also known as Anselmo d'Aosta, is described by Chambers Biographical Dictionary as a
scholastic philosopher and archbishop of Canterbury. Indeed a title accorded to him, according to the
Internet Dictionary of Philosophy, was the Scholastic Doctor. Born in Italy, of a noble family, his
mother saw that he An extremely detailed essay plan on the Ontological Argument, with a great
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