El Argumento Ontológico

Summary

In 1078, Anselm of Canterbury introduced the ontological argument, suggesting that if it's even possible for God to exist, then God must exist. This argument has divided philosophers ever since. Some, like Schopenhauer, dismissed it as a pleasant joke, while others, including Charles Hudson, Norman Malcolm, and Alvin Plantinga, considered it solid. The argument posits that God can be defined as a maximally great being, existing in all possible worlds. If such a being exists in any possible world, it exists in all, and thus, in the real world. Critics argue that the concept of a maximally great being is not as coherent as it seems, drawing parallels to absurd ideas like a 'married bachelor' or a 'square circle.'

Takeaways

• 📜 Anselmo de Canterbury introduced the ontological argument in 1078, suggesting that if it's even possible for God to exist, then God must exist.
• 🏛️ The ontological argument has been a subject of debate among philosophers, with some like Schopenhauer dismissing it as a pleasant joke, while others consider it a solid philosophical stance.
• 🌐 God can be defined as a being of maximal greatness, which includes being omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect in all possible worlds.
• 🔮 A possible world refers to ways the world could have been, and something existing in a possible world means it would exist if the world were that way.
• 🦄 Unicorns, despite not existing in the real world, can be said to exist in some possible world, unlike a 'married bachelor' which is logically incoherent and cannot exist in any possible world.
• 🌟 For a maximally great being to be truly grand, it must exist in all possible worlds, not just in some.
• 🧠 The argument posits that if a maximally great being exists in any possible world, it exists in all possible worlds, and therefore, it exists in the real world.
• 🚫 Atheists are challenged by this argument to not just claim God does not exist, but to assert that it is impossible for God to exist.
• 🍕 A parody of the argument is made with a 'maximally great pizza,' highlighting the difference between coherent and incoherent concepts, as the properties making a pizza 'great' are subjective and contextual.
• 🤔 The ontological argument suggests that the idea of God is intuitively coherent, and if God's existence is possible, then it is actual.

Q & A

Who was Anselm of Canterbury and what was his significant argument regarding God?

Anselm of Canterbury was a monk who, in the year 1078, argued that if it is even possible that God exists, then it logically follows that God does exist. His argument is known as the ontological argument.

What is the ontological argument?

The ontological argument is a philosophical argument that posits that if it is possible for a maximally great being to exist, then such a being must exist in all possible worlds, and therefore, it exists in the real world.

How does the ontological argument define God?

In the context of the ontological argument, God is defined as a being that is maximally great, which includes being omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect in all possible worlds.

What is meant by a 'possible world' in the argument?

A 'possible world' refers to ways the world could have been. Saying that something exists in a possible world means that if the world were that way, then that thing would have existed.

Why is the idea of a 'single man married' used as an example in the script?

The idea of a 'single man married' is used to illustrate a concept that is logically incoherent and cannot exist in any possible world, in contrast to the idea of God, which is considered logically coherent.

How does the script differentiate between the idea of a maximally great pizza and a maximally great being?

The script differentiates by stating that there are no intrinsic maximum values that make a pizza grandioso, and that the concept of a maximally great pizza is incoherent because it cannot be consumed if it exists in all logically possible worlds.

What is the main point of contention regarding the ontological argument according to the script?

The main point of contention is whether the concept of a maximally great being is logically coherent. If it can be shown that the idea is incoherent, the argument fails.

What does the script suggest about the coherence of the idea of a maximally great being?

The script suggests that the idea of a being that is omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect in all possible worlds seems to be a coherent concept.

How does the script conclude the existence of God based on the ontological argument?

The script concludes that if it is possible that a maximally great being exists, then God really exists, as per the ontological argument.

What does the script imply about the burden of proof for atheists regarding the ontological argument?

The script implies that atheists must contend not just that God does not exist, but that it is impossible for God to exist, in response to the ontological argument.

What is the significance of the ontological argument in the history of philosophy as presented in the script?

The ontological argument has caused a significant division among philosophers since it was first proposed by Anselm of Canterbury. It continues to be debated by prominent philosophers across the centuries.