what is an ontological argument essay

Ontological arguments are arguments, for the conclusion that God exists, from premises which are supposed to derive from some source other than observation of the world—e.g., from reason alone. In other words, ontological arguments are arguments from what are typically alleged to be none but analytic, a priori and necessary premises to the ...

An ontological argument is a deductive 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. More specifically, ontological arguments are commonly conceived a priori in regard to the organization of the universe, whereby, if ...

Ontological arguments are a priori. They are based on an analysis of the concept of God. They essentially argue that if you think carefully about what God is, you'll understand that God must exist. Ontological arguments are deductive. The truth of the premises logically entails the truth of the conclusion.

Existence. One of the most fascinating arguments for the existence of an all-perfect God is the ontological argument. While there are several different versions of the argument, all purport to show that it is self-contradictory to deny that there exists a greatest possible being. Thus, on this general line of argument, it is a necessary truth ...

OCRPhilosophy This page contains summary revision notes for the Ontological argument topic. There are two versions of these notes. Click on the A*-A grade tab, or the B-C grade tab, depending on the grade you are trying to get. Find the full revision page here. Anselm's ontological argument P1. God is the greatest conceivable being P2.…

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. To think of such a being as existing only in thought and not also in reality involves a ...

The ontological argument. St Anselm and Descartes both famously presented an ontological argument for the existence of God. (The word 'ontological' comes from 'ontology', the study of (-ology) of what exists or 'being' (ont).) Their versions of the argument are slightly different, but they both argue that we can deduce the existence ...

Abstract. The term "ontological argument" was Kant's name for one member of a family of arguments that began with Anselm of Canterbury. These arguments all try to prove God's existence a priori, via reasoning about the entailments of a particular description of God. The description almost always involves God's greatness or perfection.

This essay introduces this argument. 2. Anselm's Ontological Argument. There are different versions of the Ontological Argument, but we will focus on one of the earliest, set forth by St. Anselm (1033-1109). 1. As we've already noted, God is the being than which no greater can be conceived.

The strength of ontological arguments is their a priori nature. They are made independent of experience, so cannot be countered by new scientific knowledge. Anselm's ontological argument. P1. God is the greatest conceivable being. P2. It is greater to exist in the mind and reality than in the mind alone. P3.

Immanuel Kant criticised what he first termed the Ontological Argument at the beginning of his Critique of Pure Reason (1781). Focussing on the argument as presented by Rene Descartes, which suggested that existence is a perfection and thus a necessary attribute of God, who is a supremely perfect being, in the way that having three sides is a necessary property of a triangle or having valleys ...

It is a welcome development, since there has not been a similarly accessible collection of essays on ontological arguments since 1967. Footnote 1 The volume will serve as an excellent text for advanced courses on philosophical theology or seminars on ontological arguments, and even as a supplementary text for surveys of philosophy of religion.

Ontological arguments are arguments, for the conclusion that God exists, from premises which are supposed to derive from some source other than observation of the world—e.g., from reason alone. In other words, ontological arguments are arguments from what are typically alleged to be none but analytic, a priori and necessary premises to the ...

This type of argument, an 'ontological argument' is a priori, and deductive. Medieval Platonic Monk Anselm produced one, which tries to show that God is 'de dicto necessary' (i.e. necessary through language). It begins with Anselm, who argues (in his 'Prosologion') that God is 'that - thus - which - nothing - greater ...

The ontological arguments are unique in that they are the only arguments for God's existence that use a priori reasoning. All ontological arguments are deductive arguments.. Versions of the ontological argument aim to deduce God's existence from the definition of God. Thus, proponents of ontological arguments claim 'God exists' is an analytic truth.

The ontological argument - ontos meaning 'reality' - is based on the definition of the word 'God'; it is an a priori argument which attempts to prove the existence of God as logically necessary through the idea that existence is a predicate of God.

Discussion of ontological arguments has been primarily concerned with (a) Anselm's ontological argument; (b) modal ontological arguments, particularly as developed by Alvin Plantinga; and (c) higher-order ontological arguments, particularly Gödel's ontological argument. Each of these kinds of arguments has found supporters, although few ...

the ontological argument to be; and nor does he make it clear what it would be for the ontological argument to succeed. 4 Inwood does not obviously rectify this situation, but he does give a plausible account of the critical side of Hegel s exposi-tion: for Hegel religious belief requires something like a progressive disillusionment

Test your Knowledge of the Ontological Argument by having a go at the Quiz! Essay Support Live Stream (Membership Exclusive): This live stream outlines three different Philosophy essays for the Arguments for the Existence of God (Teleological, Cosmological and Ontological). For access to all Mark With Me videos, Revision Podcasts and Tired ...

The ontological argument is an a priori argument that attempts to prove God's existence based purely on reason. The argument sees no reason for attempts to prove the existence of God using empirical approaches. Instead, it seeks to prove God's existence using essence. According to the ontological argument, the existence of God is a ...

argument that existence is a predicate).' Let us call these two analyses of the argument the normative and the quanti-tative interpretations, respectively. Little consideration has been given to the distinction I have just made be-tween a normative and a quantitative interpretation of the ontological argu-ment by traditional writers on the sub ...

Here is a model essay in answer to the question 'To what extent is the ontological argument successful in proving God's existence'. It is an A* essay and uses Anselm, Descartes, Malcolm with challenges from Gaunilo, Kant and Hume.