anselms ontological argument

what kind of argument is anselm’s ontological arg.

deductive - meaning if the premises are true then the conclusion must also be true

what is the main aim of his arg.

to prove the existence of God bases on the concept of God

what does anselm mean by greatest

the best and most perfect

what does anselm mean by conceivable

can be imagined, logically possible

what does anselm mean by incoherent

self-contradictory

give his arg. in standard form

• the concept of a being that is greater than anything else (GCB), exists as a coherent concept in our minds

• imagine the this GCB exists only in our minds and not in reality

• a being that exists in our minds and in real life is greater than a being that exists inly in our minds

• so based on the second point there should be a greater being than the GCB

• but a being greater than the GCB is a contradiction, so point 2 must be false and the GCB must exist in reality and not only in our minds

how is anselm’s arg. ‘reductio ad absurdum’

it supposes point 2 (that the GCB exists only in our mind is true) and shows that it logically entails a conclusion, making point 2 false

what are the objections to anselm’s ontological argument

• gaunilo’s perfect island

• hume’s fork

• kants arg, that existence is not a predicate