Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the ontological argument and who presented it?
What is the ontological argument and who presented it?
The ontological argument is an argument for the existence of God presented by a monk named Anselm of Canterbury in 1078.
How did Arthur Schopenhauer describe the ontological argument?
How did Arthur Schopenhauer describe the ontological argument?
Arthur Schopenhauer called the ontological argument a charming joke.
What are possible worlds and how are they related to the ontological argument?
What are possible worlds and how are they related to the ontological argument?
Possible worlds are simply ways the world could have been, and they are related to the ontological argument because to say that something exists in a possible world is just to say that if the world were that way, then the thing would have existed.
What is the ontological argument?
What is the ontological argument?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is it important for a maximally great being to exist in every possible world?
Why is it important for a maximally great being to exist in every possible world?
Signup and view all the answers
What must the atheist maintain in order to refute the ontological argument?
What must the atheist maintain in order to refute the ontological argument?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the first step in the ontological argument?
What is the first step in the ontological argument?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is the idea of a maximally great pizza not like the idea of a maximally great being?
Why is the idea of a maximally great pizza not like the idea of a maximally great being?
Signup and view all the answers
What would cause the ontological argument to fail?
What would cause the ontological argument to fail?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the issue with the idea of a maximally great pizza and its existence?
What is the issue with the idea of a maximally great pizza and its existence?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is the idea of God considered intuitively coherent?
Why is the idea of God considered intuitively coherent?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the ontological argument show regarding the existence of God?
What does the ontological argument show regarding the existence of God?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Anselm's definition of God?
What is Anselm's definition of God?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the name of the argument that Anselm presented for the existence of God?
What is the name of the argument that Anselm presented for the existence of God?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the difference between the philosophical study of religion and theology, and why is atheism not an option in theology?
What is the difference between the philosophical study of religion and theology, and why is atheism not an option in theology?
Signup and view all the answers
Why do philosophers examine even sacred beliefs, and what is required to support them?
Why do philosophers examine even sacred beliefs, and what is required to support them?
Signup and view all the answers
What is ontology?
What is ontology?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the two ways in which something can exist, according to Anselm?
What are the two ways in which something can exist, according to Anselm?
Signup and view all the answers
What approach do philosophers take in the philosophical study of religion, and what does this mean for religious belief?
What approach do philosophers take in the philosophical study of religion, and what does this mean for religious belief?
Signup and view all the answers
According to Anselm, why must God exist?
According to Anselm, why must God exist?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the conclusion of Anselm's ontological argument?
What is the conclusion of Anselm's ontological argument?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of the philosophy of religion?
What is the purpose of the philosophy of religion?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is faith not considered valuable from a philosophical perspective?
Why is faith not considered valuable from a philosophical perspective?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the study of the Bible not prove about the truth of a religious belief?
What does the study of the Bible not prove about the truth of a religious belief?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the difference between philosophy of religion and religious anthropology or sociology?
What is the difference between philosophy of religion and religious anthropology or sociology?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is it important for both theists and atheists to pay attention to arguments in the philosophy of religion?
Why is it important for both theists and atheists to pay attention to arguments in the philosophy of religion?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the author mean when they say 'no one's off the hook' in regards to paying attention to arguments in the philosophy of religion?
What does the author mean when they say 'no one's off the hook' in regards to paying attention to arguments in the philosophy of religion?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the parable that John Wisdom came up with in 1944?
What is the parable that John Wisdom came up with in 1944?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the new area of philosophy introduced in the text?
What is the new area of philosophy introduced in the text?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Anselm's argument for God's existence?
What is Anselm's argument for God's existence?
Signup and view all the answers
Who agreed with Anselm's conclusion about God's existence, but not his argument?
Who agreed with Anselm's conclusion about God's existence, but not his argument?
Signup and view all the answers
What should one do if they think an argument fails, but still accept the conclusion?
What should one do if they think an argument fails, but still accept the conclusion?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the company sponsoring Crash Course Philosophy and what do they do?
What is the company sponsoring Crash Course Philosophy and what do they do?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Anselm's argument and how does it assume the conclusion?
What is Anselm's argument and how does it assume the conclusion?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Immanuel Kant's objection to Anselm's argument?
What is Immanuel Kant's objection to Anselm's argument?
Signup and view all the answers
What is John Wisdom's Parable of The Invisible Gardener?
What is John Wisdom's Parable of The Invisible Gardener?
Signup and view all the answers
How does the Parable of The Invisible Gardener relate to the ontological argument?
How does the Parable of The Invisible Gardener relate to the ontological argument?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a fallacy and how does it relate to arguments?
What is a fallacy and how does it relate to arguments?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the issue with using predicates to prove existence according to Kant?
What is the issue with using predicates to prove existence according to Kant?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Anselm's argument for the existence of God?
What is Anselm's argument for the existence of God?
Signup and view all the answers
Who was Gaunilo and what was his objection to Anselm's argument?
Who was Gaunilo and what was his objection to Anselm's argument?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the fallacy known as begging the question and how does it relate to Anselm's argument?
What is the fallacy known as begging the question and how does it relate to Anselm's argument?
Signup and view all the answers
Why does Anselm claim that his argument only works for necessary beings?
Why does Anselm claim that his argument only works for necessary beings?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the problem with using Anselm's argument to prove the existence of anything we can imagine?
What is the problem with using Anselm's argument to prove the existence of anything we can imagine?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the counterargument to Anselm's claim that God must exist in reality because he is the greatest thing imaginable?
What is the counterargument to Anselm's claim that God must exist in reality because he is the greatest thing imaginable?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Ontological Argument
- The ontological argument is a philosophical argument for the existence of God, presented by Anselm of Canterbury.
- It claims that God's existence can be deduced from the concept of God as a maximally great being.
Anselm's Definition of God
- Anselm defines God as a being than which no greater can be conceived.
Key Facts About the Ontological Argument
- The argument assumes that God exists in the understanding, and from this, it concludes that God exists in reality.
- It is important for a maximally great being to exist in every possible world because existence in reality is a great-making property.
Arthur Schopenhauer's Description
- Arthur Schopenhauer described the ontological argument as a "sophistical trick" that tries to extract reality from mere concepts.
Possible Worlds
- Possible worlds are used to consider the idea that a maximally great being must exist in every possible world, including the actual one.
Criticisms of the Ontological Argument
- The argument fails if the concept of God is contradictory or incoherent.
- The idea of a maximally great pizza is not like the idea of a maximally great being because it lacks existence in reality, which is a great-making property.
- The issue with the idea of a maximally great pizza is that it does not have the property of existence in reality, which is a necessary condition for a maximally great being.
Philosophical Study of Religion
- The philosophical study of religion examines religious beliefs and arguments, including the ontological argument.
- Theology, on the other hand, assumes the existence of God and explores the nature of God and religious beliefs.
- Philosophers examine even sacred beliefs to support them with rational arguments.
Ontology
- Ontology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of existence and what exists.
Anselm's Argument
- Anselm's argument assumes that God exists in the understanding, and from this, it concludes that God exists in reality.
- Immanuel Kant objected to Anselm's argument, claiming that existence is not a predicate that can be used to prove existence.
John Wisdom's Parable
- John Wisdom's Parable of The Invisible Gardener is a thought experiment that challenges the idea that we can prove the existence of something based on its concept.
Fallacies and Arguments
- A fallacy is a mistake in an argument that makes it invalid.
- The ontological argument is often criticized for committing the fallacy of begging the question.
Gaunilo's Objection
- Gaunilo, a contemporary of Anselm, objected to the ontological argument, claiming that it could be used to prove the existence of anything we can imagine.
Conclusion
- The ontological argument is a significant contribution to the philosophy of religion, and its criticisms and responses have shaped the field.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of the ontological argument, as presented by Anselm of Canterbury, in this quiz. Explore the philosophical debate surrounding the argument and see if you can distinguish between the criticisms and defenses of this famous proof for the existence of God.