One of the most interesting arguments for the Existence of God comes from Anselm and the Ontological argument. According to the Ontological argument‚ there is no reason to go out and look for physical evidence of God’s existence. The ontological argument is based completely on reason and comes from the concept of a “being than which no greater can be conceived.” Anselm suggested that if such a “being” does not truly exist then a greater being can be conceived. But how does this make any sense? Nothing
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Critically evaluate the design argument The design argument‚ also known as the teleological argument essentially means that the universe and everything within it has a specific design and purpose. (Perry‚ Bratman‚ Fischer 57) The Greek term; ‘telos’ is the derivative form of teleology which means end or purpose. This argument is entirely a posteriori and we learn about the existence of God through experience and empirical knowledge. This argument was developed by Thomas Aquinas and his fifth version
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Paley’s argument cannot be used to show there is an “impersonal‚ accidental forces because of its complexity. Thus‚ stumbling upon such an object provides good reason to conclude that there is a personal agent who designed it.” DePoe explains that Paley’s watch example suffered a major set back by the introduction of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Evolution offered a naturalistic explanation as to how life could possess the intricacy of “parts that have been adapted to perform their specific functions
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Anselm’s ontological argument is a priori proof of God’s existence. Anselm begins his argument with ideas that do not depend on experience and progress to a throughly logical explanation that God necessarily exists. Anselm’s goal is to prove to the "fool" that God has to exist. He says that anyone who has an understanding of the existence of God can and logically has to believe that God really does exist. Anselm starts off with a statement that is slightly simple and straight forward;
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because we are his design‚ and he designed us to be in his image‚ and because he is Omnibenevolent‚ he allows us to have a day of rest; a day which is free of worry and stress. Cosmological ‘First Cause’ Argument This was propounded by St Thomas Aquinas‚ and the ideas to this argument are found in his book Summa Theologica. He takes the universe as his starting point‚ because he knows for definite‚ that exists. However‚ he also says the universe is the end of his chain. Aquinas describes this
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Are Aquinas’ arguments for the existence of God convincing? Do they have any value? Needless to say‚ Aquinas upset many of the popular theological ideas prevalent before him. Even though his work was unfinished at the time of his death‚ his ideas were brought into the theology of the church‚ giving Christianity a genuine intellectual and rational foundation. Aquinas’ work influenced the philosophical climate of the day and gave reason a legitimate place in Christian theology. One of Thomas’s
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amount of arguments for the existence of God for hundreds of years. Some have become much more popular due to their merit‚ and their ability to stay relevant through changing times. Two arguments in particular that have been discussed for a very long time are the ontological and cosmological arguments. Each was proposed in the period of the high middle ages by members of the Roman Catholic Church. They each have been used extensively by many since their introduction. However‚ one of the arguments is superior
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Ontological Argument and why I believe it is a successful argument besides the objections posed. Anselm’s argument is an argument in which he seeks to prove that God exists using a reduction ad absurdum form of argument. There are two objections to this argument which I will discuss and provide what I believe to be successful responses to prove the objections ineffective. The first objection which I will discuss Gaunilo’s Perfect “Island Objection”‚ which applies this “perfect island” argument in the
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refers to the arguments as "proofs"‚ which means that he is trying to insinuate that these arguments are not scientifically proven and are not based on facts. A proof is a statement that is unquestionable and lead to an end. He also implies that the arguments cannot definitely establish the case for God‚ so therefore they should be abandoned because this way he can use that term to make the argument that God exists less plausible. Specifically‚ the cosmological argument‚ teleological argument‚ and arguments
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Anselm’s ontological argument is a deductive argument based on an ‘a priori’ premise‚ that is‚ it is based on reason and logic rather than experience of the world. The argument attempts to prove the necessary existence of the God of Classical Theism based on Anselm’s own definition of God – which he believed to be universal. He uses this premise to conclude God’s existence‚ however‚ when examining his argument‚ it is easy to doubt much of what he said. Scholars such as Gaunilo‚ and later Aquinas
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