Who thought the ontological argument was sound?

St. Anselm
St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury (1033-1109), is the originator of the ontological argument, which he describes in the Proslogium as follows: [Even a] fool, when he hears of … a being than which nothing greater can be conceived …

Does the ontological argument justify belief?

There are those who would argue that the ontological argument can certainly justify belief in God, as Anselm offers an a priori deductive argument based on the logical impossibility of a contradiction, thus proving God’s existence from his definition as the GCB.

What does the ontological argument state?

An ontological argument is a philosophical argument, made from an ontological basis, that is advanced in support of the existence of God. Such arguments tend to refer to the state of being or existing. Therefore, this greatest possible being must exist in reality.

Did Anselm believe in God?

Anselm began with the concept of God as that than which nothing greater can be conceived. To think of such a being as existing only in thought and not also in reality involves a contradiction, since a being that lacks real existence is not a being than which none greater can be conceived.

What is ontological fallacy?

An Ontological Fallacy is a statement of being or existing with an a priori theory about the organization of some paradigm. There is no principle on which to base the statement We can make decisions in the presence of uncertainty without estimating the outcome of that decision on our probability of success.

What is Ontological Argument?

ontological argument, Argument that proceeds from the idea of God to the reality of God. To think of such a being as existing only in thought and not also in reality involves a contradiction, since a being that lacks real existence is not a being than which none greater can be conceived.

How does Anselm’s Ontological Argument prove the existence of God?

Anselm claims to derive the existence of God from the concept of a being than which no greater can be conceived. St. Anselm reasoned that, if such a being fails to exist, then a greater being—namely, a being than which no greater can be conceived, and which exists—can be conceived.

What is ontological argument in philosophy of religion?

ontological argument, Argument that proceeds from the idea of God to the reality of God. It was first clearly formulated by St. Anselm in his Proslogion (1077–78); a later famous version is given by René Descartes. Anselm began with the concept of God as that than which nothing greater can be conceived.

Is the ontological argument logically valid?

While the ontological argument has been the subject of fierce criticism by many contemporary philosophers, many of the criticisms of it result from a failure to properly understand the argument. The ontological argument is clearly logically valid—that is to say, the conclusion necessarily follows provided that Premises 1 to 5 are true.

What is Anselm’s ontological argument?

Anselm’s reasoning was that, if a being existed only in the mind but not in reality, then a greater being was conceivable (a being which exists both in the mind and in reality). The famed seventeenth-century French philosopher René Descartes utilized the ontological argument.

Who first criticized the ontological argument?

The ontological argument was first criticized by Gaunilo of Marmoutiers, a contemporary of Anselm of Canterbury. He argued that the ontological argument could be used to demonstrate the existence of anything, utilizing an analogy of a perfect island.

What is the ontological argument of Descartes?

Ontological Argument. Anselm’s reasoning was that, if a being existed only in the mind but not in reality, then a greater being was conceivable (a being which exists both in the mind and in reality). The famed seventeenth-century French philosopher Renй Descartes utilized the ontological argument.