Ontological Argument

Ontological Argument
Teleological argument depends upon
evidence about the nature of the
world and the organisms and objects
in it.
Cosmological argument is based on the
observation that something, rather
than nothing exists.
What types of arguments are these by
definition?
 Ontological Argument

Ontological Argument

Because this argument does not rely

on external evidence or sense
experience it is what sort of
argument?
 Ontological Argument

Warburton states (p.18) that it is an

attempt to show that the existence
of God necessarily follows from the
definition of God as the supreme
being. Because this conclusion can
be drawn prior to experience it is a
priori argument
 Ontological Argument

Once we understand the concept of

God i.e. perfection, we will realise
that perfection must include
existence in order to be perfect.
 Ontological Argument

St. Anselm (1033-1109)

Defined God to mean ‘that than

which nothing greater can be
conceived’
 Ontological Argument

St. Anselm (1033-1109)

He also asked what is greater –

God as an idea or God as an
existing thing?

He went for God as an existing

thing
 Ontological Argument

St. Anselm (1033-1109)

1) God is the greatest

conceivable entity

Can you think of anything

‘greater’?
 Ontological Argument

St. Anselm (1033-1109)

2) God can be thought of as an

idea or as existing

What is the difference?

 Ontological Argument

St. Anselm (1033-1109)

3) Existence is perfection i.e. it

is better to exist than not to
exist

If we exist, does this mean we

are perfect? Can existence be
defined as a property?
 Ontological Argument
St. Anselm (1033-1109)

4) Therefore, God exists.

5) Since existence is part of the
definition of God, God doesn’t
just exist, He exists
necessarily. This means it is
impossible for God to stop
existing or not to have
always existed
 Ontological Argument

St. Anselm (1033-1109)

The Great Chain Of Being

Hierarchical scale
Ontological Argument
The Great Chain Of Being
God
Angels
Humans
Animals
Plants
Elements
Properties
Ideas
Non-existence
 Ontological Argument

The Great Chain Of Being

What is non-existence?
What are ideas?
What are properties?
 Ontological Argument

The Great Chain Of Being

If the chain is correct, then,

existence is part of it by
definition – therefore God not
only exists but He is also
perfect
 Ontological Argument

The Great Chain Of Being

Descartes argued that the

Ontological Argument was as
rational as the sum of a
triangles interior angles will
always be 180 degrees
Ontological Argument

Task p. 30
 Ontological Argument

Criticisms
1) Leads to absurd
consequences

Gaunilo said it allowed us to

define all sorts of things into
existence
 Ontological Argument

Criticisms
This means that if we imagine
the most perfect thing then it
exists

Plato used a similar argument

but called it Forms
 Ontological Argument
Criticisms

Gaunilo stated it was a faulty

argument because it did not
work
He used the analogy of a perfect
island
Warburton uses the perfect
beach
 Ontological Argument

Criticisms

Anselm countered that the

argument only applies to God

Why?
 Ontological Argument

Criticisms
2) Existence is not a property

Kant refutes Descartes claim

that God’s existence was as
rational as the angles of a
triangle
 Ontological Argument

Criticisms
Kant argued that existence is
not a quality because saying
that something exists doesn’t
tell us any new characteristic
of something
 Ontological Argument
Criticisms
What is the defining property of a
bachelor?

What is the defining property of

being homosexual?

What is the defining property of

being vegetarian?
 Ontological Argument
Criticisms
These are defining properties
and they could not be applied
unless the people actually
existed

Therefore, perfection/greatness
rely upon existence and not
the other way around
 Ontological Argument

Possible answer
Existence is a special type of
property

All other properties depend upon

existence
 Ontological Argument

3) You cannot define God into

existence

Acceptance of God’s existence

does not define the way the
world really is
 Ontological Argument

3) You cannot define God into

existence

We can define the existence of a

cow because we know what
it is

Does this work for God?