There appears to be one argument from history by which philosophers and theologians attempt to establish the existence of a God from its very definition, so to speak.
Anselm of Canterbury essentially argued in his Proslogium that:
- It is a conceptual truth (or, so to speak, true by definition) that God is a being than which none greater can be imagined (that is, the greatest possible being that can be imagined).
- God exists as an idea in the mind.
- A being that exists as an idea in the mind and in reality is, other things being equal, greater than a being that exists only as an idea in the mind.
- Thus, if God exists only as an idea in the mind, then we can imagine something that is greater than God (that is, a greatest possible being that does exist).
- But we cannot imagine something that is greater than God (for it is a contradiction to suppose that we can imagine a being greater than the greatest possible being that can be imagined.)
- Therefore, God exists.
Instinctively, you could think of this argument as being driven by two primary ideas. The first, expressed by Premise 2, is that we have a coherent view of a being that exemplifies all of the perfections.
Otherwise put, Premise 2 supposes that we have a cohesive view of a creature that embodies every property that makes a being superior. Other things being equal than it would have been without that property (such features are also known as "great-making" properties). Premise 3 asserts that existence is perfection aka a "great-making" attribute.
Respectively, the exact notion of a creature that typifies all the greater attributes implies that the being exists. Assume that B is a being that represents all the perfections and assumes B does not exist (physically).
Since Premise 3 implies that existence equals perfection, it follows that B lacks a perfection. However, this contradicts the presumption that B is a creature that embodies all perfect characteristics. So, in line with this reasoning, it follows that B exists.
Question:
Does this argument prove a God exists? Why or why not?
Comments
Post a Comment