More ad hoc apologetics: The Ontological Argument

Haworth's 10 Ways #2: The Ontological Argument

Will anyone ever be converted to Christ by the ontological argument? Probably never. But, having said that, it does make for a puzzlingly convincing proof for God's existence.

The ontological argument moves from the conception of a Perfect Being or Necessary Being to the existence of such a Being. The first philosopher to develop this form of argument was Anselm (1033 – 1109) who set it forth in his Proslogion (Discourse on the Existence of God). Simply put, Anselm argued from the idea of God to the existence of God. Hence, part of his argument went something like this (the following is an extract from the Proslogion):

“God cannot be conceived not to exist. --God is that, than which nothing greater can be conceived. --That which can be conceived not to exist is not God.

And it assuredly exists so truly, that it cannot be conceived not to exist. For, it is possible to conceive of a being which cannot be conceived not to exist; and this is greater than one which can be conceived not to exist. Hence, if that, than which nothing greater can be conceived, can be conceived not to exist, it is not that, than which nothing greater can be conceived. But this is an irreconcilable contradiction. There is, then, so truly a being than which nothing greater can be conceived to exist, that it cannot even be conceived not to exist; and this being you are, O Lord, our God.

So truly, therefore, do you exist, O Lord, my God, that you can not be conceived not to exist; and rightly. For, if a mind could conceive of a being better than you, the creature would rise above the Creator; and this is most absurd. And, indeed, whatever else there is, except you alone, can be conceived not to exist. To you alone, therefore, it belongs to exist more truly than all other beings, and hence in a higher degree than all others. For, whatever else exists does not exist so truly, and hence in a less degree it belongs to it to exist. Why, then, has the fool said in his heart, there is no God (Psalms xiv. 1), since it is so evident, to a rational mind, that you do exist in the highest degree of all? Why, except that he is dull and a fool?”

Major thinkers and philosophers since Anselm have come up with variations on the ontological argument. To this day, it remains both compelling and controversial. Essentially, the simple concept of God as an absolutely Perfect Being (“that, than which nothing greater can be conceived”) actually demands that he exist. Briefly put, the argument goes like this:

God is by definition an absolutely perfect being.
But existence is a perfection.
Therefore, God must exist.

If God did not exist, he would be lacking in one perfection, namely, existence. But if God lacked any perfection, then he would not be absolutely perfect. But God is by definition and absolutely perfect Being. Therefore an absolutely perfect Being (God) must exist.

Convincing? The jury's out.