Top Banner

of 13

GodAPriori

May 30, 2018

Download

Documents

Prof. Lakshman Madurasinghe
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    1/13

    GodGod

    A Priori ArgumentsA Priori Arguments

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    2/13

    Classical TheismClassical Theism

    Classical conception of God: God isClassical conception of God: God is

    Omnipotent: allOmnipotent: all--powerfulpowerful

    Omnipresent: everywhereOmnipresent: everywhereOmniscient: allOmniscient: all--knowingknowing

    Eternal: everlastingEternal: everlasting

    Transcendent: beyond the worldTranscendent: beyond the world

    Compassionate: caringCompassionate: caring

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    3/13

    Dissident conceptionsDissident conceptions

    Via negativaVia negativa---- the negative waythe negative way

    We can know only what God is notWe can know only what God is not

    DeismDeism

    God created the world, but has no furtherGod created the world, but has no furtherinteraction with it; no miraclesinteraction with it; no miracles

    PantheismPantheism

    God is everythingGod is everything PanentheismPanentheism

    God includes everythingGod includes everything

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    4/13

    Argument from ThoughtArgument from Thought

    Where do we get our concept of God?Where do we get our concept of God?

    Its the concept of something perfectIts the concept of something perfect

    We never experience perfectionWe never experience perfection So, the concept of God cant come fromSo, the concept of God cant come from

    experienceexperience

    So, the concept of God is innateSo, the concept of God is innate It must come from something perfectIt must come from something perfect

    So, God must existSo, God must exist

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    5/13

    Descartess PremiseDescartess Premise

    Now it is manifest by the naturallight thatthere must at least be as much reality inthe efficient and total cause as in its effect.

    For, pray, whence can the effect derive itsreality, if not from its cause? And in whatway can this cause communicate thisreality to it, unless it possessed it in itself?

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    6/13

    Descartess PremiseDescartess Premise

    And from this it follows, not only thatsomething cannot proceed from nothing,but likewise that what is more perfect --that is to say, which has more reality withinitself-- cannot proceed from the lessperfect.

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    7/13

    Descartess ArgumentDescartess Argument

    The cause of the idea ofThe cause of the idea ofXXmust have atmust have at

    least as much reality asleast as much reality as XX

    We get the ide

    aof fire from fire

    We get the ide

    aof fire from fire

    We get the idea of red from red thingsWe get the idea of red from red things

    The cause of our idea of God must have atThe cause of our idea of God must have at

    least as much reality as Godleast as much reality as God

    Only God has as much reality as GodOnly God has as much reality as God

    So, our idea of God must come from GodSo, our idea of God must come from God

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    8/13

    The Ontological ArgumentThe Ontological Argument

    Augustine: God isAugustine: God is

    something than whichsomething than which

    nothing more excellent ornothing more excellent or

    sublime existssublime exists

    Anselm (1033Anselm (1033--1109):1109):

    God is that the greaterGod is that the greater

    than which cannot bethan which cannot beconceivedconceived---- the greatestthe greatest

    conceivable beingconceivable being

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    9/13

    Anselms ArgumentAnselms Argument

    Even the Fool ... is forced to agree thatsomething, the greater than which cannot bethought, exists in the intellect, since he

    understands this when he hears it, andwhatever is understood is in the intellect.

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    10/13

    Anselms ArgumentAnselms Argument

    And surely that, the greater than which cannotbe thought, cannot exist in the intellect alone.For if it exists solely in the intellect, it can be

    thought to exist in reality, which is greater. If,then, that, the greater than which cannot bethought, exists in the intellect alone, this samebeing, than which a greater cannot be thought,is that than which a greater can be thought. Butsurely this is impossible.

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    11/13

    Anselms ArgumentAnselms Argument

    Therefore, there can be absolutely no doubtthat something, the greater than which cannotbe thought, exists both in the intellect and in

    reality.

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    12/13

    Anselm in outlineAnselm in outline

    Suppose you could conceiveSuppose you could conceive

    of Gods nonexistenceof Gods nonexistence

    Then you could think ofThen you could think of

    something greater than Godsomething greater than God----something just like God, butsomething just like God, but

    existingexisting

    But nothing can be conceivedBut nothing c

    an be conceivedas greater than Godas greater than God

    So, Gods nonexistence isSo, Gods nonexistence is

    inconceivableinconceivable

  • 8/9/2019 GodAPriori

    13/13

    Descartess Ontological ArgumentDescartess Ontological Argument

    God has allGod has all

    perfectionsperfections

    Existence is aExistence is aperfectionperfection

    So, God hasSo, God has

    existenceexistence