Anselm & the Argument for God: Crash Course Philosophy #9

Summary

This Crash Course Philosophy episode delves into the philosophy of religion, contrasting it with theology by emphasizing the importance of questioning all beliefs, including religious ones. It introduces Anselm of Canterbury's ontological argument for God's existence and critiques it through Gaunilo's Lost Island and Immanuel Kant's perspective on existence as not a predicate. The episode encourages seeking robust arguments for religious beliefs, setting the stage for exploring Thomas Aquinas's approach in the next installment.

Takeaways

• 📚 The philosophy of religion is distinct from theology as it does not assume the existence of God and is open to questioning all beliefs, including atheism.
• 🧐 Philosophers require arguments and evidence for religious beliefs, rather than relying solely on faith, which is considered unprovable and philosophically unvalued.
• 🌏 The influence of religious belief in shaping history is immense, making the philosophical study of religion highly significant.
• 👶 The philosophy of religion is not about accepting beliefs just because they were taught by one's parents, as this does not prove their truth.
• 📖 Studying religious texts like the Bible is important for understanding religion but does not serve as proof of the text's truth without external evidence.
• 🔍 The philosophy of religion is not the same as religious anthropology, sociology, or psychology, which explore different aspects of religious belief but do not focus on proving God's existence.
• 🤔 Anselm of Canterbury proposed an ontological argument for God's existence based on the definition of God as the greatest conceivable being.
• 🏆 Anselm's argument suggests that if we can imagine something, and that imagined thing would be greater if it existed, then God, being the greatest conceivable being, must exist both in imagination and reality.
• 🤨 Gaunilo criticized Anselm's argument by pointing out its potential to 'prove' the existence of anything imagined, using the example of a Lost Island.
• 💡 Immanuel Kant objected to Anselm's argument by stating that 'existence is not a predicate,' meaning existence cannot be used as a defining characteristic to prove the existence of something.
• 🌳 John Wisdom's 'Parable of the Invisible Gardener' illustrates the difficulty in distinguishing between an undetectable entity and the absence of one, highlighting the challenges in ontological arguments.

Q & A

What is the primary difference between the philosophy of religion and theology?

The philosophy of religion does not assume the existence of God and examines religious beliefs critically, while theology starts by assuming God's existence and explores the implications of that belief.

Why is faith alone not considered sufficient in the philosophical study of religion?

Faith is unprovable by definition, and from a philosophical perspective, it is not valuable as evidence because it does not offer a rational argument or proof.

What is an ontological argument, and who is known for proposing one?

An ontological argument is a deductive argument for the existence of God based on the nature or definition of God's being. Anselm of Canterbury is known for proposing such an argument.

What is the definition of God according to Anselm's ontological argument?

According to Anselm, God is defined as 'that than which no greater can be conceived,' meaning God is the best possible thing we can imagine.

How does Anselm's ontological argument claim to prove God's existence?

Anselm argues that if we can imagine something as the greatest possible being, and existence is a quality that makes something greater, then that being must exist in reality to be truly the greatest.

What is Gaunilo's criticism of Anselm's ontological argument, and what example does he use to illustrate his point?

Gaunilo criticizes Anselm's argument by suggesting that the same reasoning could be used to 'prove' the existence of anything we can imagine, such as a Lost Island with ideal characteristics.

What is the fallacy Gaunilo accuses Anselm of committing in his ontological argument?

Gaunilo accuses Anselm of begging the question, a fallacy where the argument assumes the very point it is trying to prove, in this case, the existence of God.

What is Immanuel Kant's objection to Anselm's ontological argument?

Kant argues that 'existence is not a predicate,' meaning that existence cannot be used as a defining characteristic or something that can be predicated upon an object, and thus cannot be used to prove God's existence.

What is the Parable of The Invisible Gardener, and what philosophical point does it illustrate?

The Parable of The Invisible Gardener is a thought experiment by John Wisdom that illustrates the difficulty of distinguishing between an undetectable entity and the absence of that entity, highlighting the challenges in proving the existence of God through ontological arguments.

What is the significance of the Parable of The Invisible Gardener in the context of the philosophy of religion?

The parable underscores the challenge of proving the existence of something purely through logical arguments without empirical evidence, questioning the validity of arguments for the existence of God based solely on definitions or logical constructs.

What does the script suggest about the relationship between accepting a conclusion and the strength of the argument supporting it?

The script suggests that one can accept a conclusion, such as the existence of God, even if the argument presented to support it is found to be flawed or insufficient.