The Ontological Argument
By L. R. R.
Ontology is the study of being (Gk. ontos). Or it is the study of reality and of the existence of God. Better yet, the ontological argument for the existence or being of God proceeds from the mere idea that God is an absolute perfect or Necessary Being. I think the most infuental formulation of the ontological argument and was first formed by Anseln of Canterbury (1033-1109) which is found in the first three chapters of the Prologium. Anselms argument may look like this:
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God is, by definition, a Being, greater than which nothing can be concieved.
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It is greater to exist in reality than to exist only in mind.
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Therefore, God must exist in reality. If he didn’t he wouldn’t be the greatest being possible.
The first premise, Anselm is telling us that such a Necessary Being (= God) exist since we have a concept of God: we understand God to be the highest perfection and the standard of goodness, justice and beauty, something than which nothing greater can be concieved. Because we have this concept, God at least exists in our minds as an object of the understanding. Either this Necessary Being exist only in our minds or else exist both in our minds and extramental reality.
