MostpeoplehavenotwitnessedorexperiencedGodandthereforeareconfusedaboutitsexistence. InWesterntheology,threetheorieshaveemergedtodemonstratetheexistenceofGod.These theoriesaretheontologicalargument,thecosmologicalargument,andtheteleologicalargumentSt Anselmofeleventhcentury,andDescartesofseventeenthcentury,haveusedtheontological argumentforprovingtheexistenceofGod.TheGod,forthem,issupreme,"needingnothing outsidehimself,butneedfulforthebeingandwell–beingofallthings."(Pg.305).
StAnselm'saccountoftheontologicalargumentfortheexistenceofGoddealswiththe'existencein theunderstanding'vs.'existenceinreality.'HedefinesGodas the...showmorecontent...
308)Hence,itisjustasmuchofacontradictiontothinkofGod(thatis,asupremelyperfectbeing) lackingexistence(thatis,lackingperfection),asitistothinkofamountainwithoutavalley. Histheoryisthathecan'tthinkofGodwithoutitexistingandthereforeitexists.AlsohegivesGod allkindsofperfectionandbecauseexistenceisoneoftheperfection, "Godnecessarilyexists."(Pg.309).
Kant'scritiqueofAnselm'sandDescartes'argumentsstatethatexistenceisnotaperfectionbecause allperfectionsarequalities,andexistenceisnotanykindofcharacteristic,quality,attribute,or property.Whenwesaythatsomethingexists,Kantargued,we"addnothingto"our conceptofthatthing–wemerelysaythatthereissomethingsimilartothatconcept.Itfollowsthat nomatterhowmanycharacteristicsofathingwelist;wewillstillnothaveansweredthequestion whetherthereissomethinghavingallthosecharacteristics."Beingisevidentlynotareal predicate,oraconceptofsomethingthatcanbeaddedtotheconceptofathing.Itismerelythe admissionofathing,andofcertaindeterminationsinit"(Pg311)Hisargumentisthatitis allrighttosaythatGodhascertaincharacteristicsbutitisanothertosaythatsuchaGodexists. ManycontemporaryphilosophersagreewithKant'sargument,butmanyothersdonot.Furthermore, contemporarylogicianshavedeveloped
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