The Living God
Does God exist? This is a question that mankind has been trying to answer for generations. This is the question that Anselm confronts in "The Ontological Argument." It is my opinion that his attempt to answer this question was successful. Not only does he put forward a valid argument, he also refutes objections proposed by Gaunilo on behalf of the fool. God does irrefutably exist.
In order to justify this position on God properly one must first explain what God is. He refers to God as "whatever it is better to be than not to be; and that he alone exists through himself and makes all other things from nothing" (Robinson 4). God is the most powerful being in existence. He always was and always will be. He created everything when there was nothing, and he created it from the great void. God is the greatest and most perfect being.
Using this most perfect being in existence definition Anselm goes on to say, "For it is possible to think that something exists that cannot be thought not to exist, and such a being is greater than one that can be thought not to exist" (Robinson 2). To clarify, Anselm is making the following justification, that a being that must exist is greater than one that may only exists in one's thought. Anselm also goes on to tell us that this being in existence is part of God’s essence. It is necessary for him to exist, because if he does not then it is not God.
"Therefore, if that than which a greater cannot be though can be thought not to exist, then that than which a greater cannot be thought is not that than which a greater cannot be thought; and this is a contradiction. So that than which a greater cannot be thought exists so truly, that it cannot be thought not to exist" (Robinson 2-3). So, if we think of some being which no greater can be thought, then say that it is possible for us to think that this thing does not exist, then what we are saying is that this being that no greater can be thought is not that being which no greater can be thought. This is a blatant contradiction. It proves that God must certainly be because God is this greatest being.
Gaunilo would disagree on behalf of the fool. He argues, what if this greatest thought is a lie. He gives the following example:
"There are those who say that somewhere in the ocean is an island, which , because of the difficulty--or rather, impossibility--of finding what does not exist, some call 'the Lost Island.' This island (so the story goes) is more plentifully endowed than even the Isles of the Blessed with an indescribable abundance of all sorts of riches and delights. And because it has neither owner nor inhabitant, it is everywhere superior in its abundant riches to all the other lands that human beings inhabit." (Robinson 6)
This story is easy to understand so it exists in his mind and understanding. Since this island is greater than all others it must exist not only in the mind, but in reality according to Anselm’s definition of the most perfect thing.
Anselm refutes this argument by saying, "So either the premises by which you attempt to prove the contrary are false, or else what you think follows from does not in fact follow" (Robinson 7). He goes on to refute this rebuttal by saying," You think that from the fact that something which a greater cannot be thought is understood, it does not follow that it exists in the understanding; nor does it follow that if it exists in the understanding, it therefore exists in reality. But I say with certainty that if a perfect thing can be so much as thought to exist, it must necessarily exist" (Robinson 7). Here he makes the clear distinction that his whole argument is based on. That it is part of the very essence of God to exist. If God does not then it is not what he was talking about from the beginning. God must exist.
God exists in my mind, I have the idea that he exists in reality, and so he must exist in reality. I always had faith that God existed, but never proof. Anselm has given a valid argument and it has beaten the fool who says there is no God. Anselm has proven that there is a God that has as part of His essence to exist. He has created everything. He is the most perfect and most powerful being in existence
Works Cited.
Robinson, Timothy A. God. Hackett Publishing Co, 1996.
The Living God
Does God exist? This is a question that mankind has been trying to answer for generations. This is the question that Anselm confronts in "The Ontological Argument." It is my opinion that his attempt to answer this question was successful. Not only does he put forward a valid argument, he also refutes objections proposed by Gaunilo on behalf of the fool. God does irrefutably exist.
In order to justify this position on God properly one must first explain what God is. He refers to God as "whatever it is better to be than not to be; and that he alone exists through himself and makes all other things from nothing" (Robinson 4). God is the most powerful being in existence. He always was and always will be. He created everything when there was nothing, and he created it from the great void. God is the greatest and most perfect being.
Using this most perfect being in existence definition Anselm goes on to say, "For it is possible to think that something exists that cannot be thought not to exist, and such a being is greater than one that can be thought not to exist" (Robinson 2). To clarify, Anselm is making the following justification, that a being that must exist is greater than one that may only exists in one's thought. Anselm also goes on to tell us that this being in existence is part of God’s essence. It is necessary for him to exist, because if he does not then it is not God.
"Therefore, if that than which a greater cannot be though can be thought not to exist, then that than which a greater cannot be thought is not that than which a greater cannot be thought; and this is a contradiction. So that than which a greater cannot be thought exists so truly, that it cannot be thought not to exist" (Robinson 2-3). So, if we think of some being which no greater can be thought, then say that it is possible for us to think that this thing does not exist, then what we are saying is that this being that no greater can be thought is not that being which no greater can be thought. This is a blatant contradiction. It proves that God must certainly be because God is this greatest being.
Gaunilo would disagree on behalf of the fool. He argues, what if this greatest thought is a lie. He gives the following example:
"There are those who say that somewhere in the ocean is an island, which , because of the difficulty--or rather, impossibility--of finding what does not exist, some call 'the Lost Island.' This island (so the story goes) is more plentifully endowed than even the Isles of the Blessed with an indescribable abundance of all sorts of riches and delights. And because it has neither owner nor inhabitant, it is everywhere superior in its abundant riches to all the other lands that human beings inhabit." (Robinson 6)
This story is easy to understand so it exists in his mind and understanding. Since this island is greater than all others it must exist not only in the mind, but in reality according to Anselm’s definition of the most perfect thing.
Anselm refutes this argument by saying, "So either the premises by which you attempt to prove the contrary are false, or else what you think follows from does not in fact follow" (Robinson 7). He goes on to refute this rebuttal by saying," You think that from the fact that something which a greater cannot be thought is understood, it does not follow that it exists in the understanding; nor does it follow that if it exists in the understanding, it therefore exists in reality. But I say with certainty that if a perfect thing can be so much as thought to exist, it must necessarily exist" (Robinson 7). Here he makes the clear distinction that his whole argument is based on. That it is part of the very essence of God to exist. If God does not then it is not what he was talking about from the beginning. God must exist.
God exists in my mind, I have the idea that he exists in reality, and so he must exist in reality. I always had faith that God existed, but never proof. Anselm has given a valid argument and it has beaten the fool who says there is no God. Anselm has proven that there is a God that has as part of His essence to exist. He has created everything. He is the most perfect and most powerful being in existence
Works Cited.
Robinson, Timothy A. God. Hackett Publishing Co, 1996.
The Living God
Does God exist? This is a question that mankind has been trying to answer for generations. This is the question that Anselm confronts in "The Ontological Argument." It is my opinion that his attempt to answer this question was successful. Not only does he put forward a valid argument, he also refutes objections proposed by Gaunilo on behalf of the fool. God does irrefutably exist.
In order to justify this position on God properly one must first explain what God is. He refers to God as "whatever it is better to be than not to be; and that he alone exists through himself and makes all other things from nothing" (Robinson 4). God is the most powerful being in existence. He always was and always will be. He created everything when there was nothing, and he created it from the great void. God is the greatest and most perfect being.
Using this most perfect being in existence definition Anselm goes on to say, "For it is possible to think that something exists that cannot be thought not to exist, and such a being is greater than one that can be thought not to exist" (Robinson 2). To clarify, Anselm is making the following justification, that a being that must exist is greater than one that may only exists in one's thought. Anselm also goes on to tell us that this being in existence is part of God’s essence. It is necessary for him to exist, because if he does not then it is not God.
"Therefore, if that than which a greater cannot be though can be thought not to exist, then that than which a greater cannot be thought is not that than which a greater cannot be thought; and this is a contradiction. So that than which a greater cannot be thought exists so truly, that it cannot be thought not to exist" (Robinson 2-3). So, if we think of some being which no greater can be thought, then say that it is possible for us to think that this thing does not exist, then what we are saying is that this being that no greater can be thought is not that being which no greater can be thought. This is a blatant contradiction. It proves that God must certainly be because God is this greatest being.
Gaunilo would disagree on behalf of the fool. He argues, what if this greatest thought is a lie. He gives the following example:
"There are those who say that somewhere in the ocean is an island, which , because of the difficulty--or rather, impossibility--of finding what does not exist, some call 'the Lost Island.' This island (so the story goes) is more plentifully endowed than even the Isles of the Blessed with an indescribable abundance of all sorts of riches and delights. And because it has neither owner nor inhabitant, it is everywhere superior in its abundant riches to all the other lands that human beings inhabit." (Robinson 6)
This story is easy to understand so it exists in his mind and understanding. Since this island is greater than all others it must exist not only in the mind, but in reality according to Anselm’s definition of the most perfect thing.
Anselm refutes this argument by saying, "So either the premises by which you attempt to prove the contrary are false, or else what you think follows from does not in fact follow" (Robinson 7). He goes on to refute this rebuttal by saying," You think that from the fact that something which a greater cannot be thought is understood, it does not follow that it exists in the understanding; nor does it follow that if it exists in the understanding, it therefore exists in reality. But I say with certainty that if a perfect thing can be so much as thought to exist, it must necessarily exist" (Robinson 7). Here he makes the clear distinction that his whole argument is based on. That it is part of the very essence of God to exist. If God does not then it is not what he was talking about from the beginning. God must exist.
God exists in my mind, I have the idea that he exists in reality, and so he must exist in reality. I always had faith that God existed, but never proof. Anselm has given a valid argument and it has beaten the fool who says there is no God. Anselm has proven that there is a God that has as part of His essence to exist. He has created everything. He is the most perfect and most powerful being in existence
Works Cited.
Robinson, Timothy A. God. Hackett Publishing Co, 1996.