St. Anselm Essay - 1022 Words

St. Anselm Not every great writer can be correct in what he or she is saying. This is the idea that Gaunilo had in mind when he wrote his criticism to St. Anselm’s Ontological Argument which states that if something greater than anything else that could be thought of is conceived in the understanding then it must exist. Gaunilo says it is foolish to believe in the existence of something just because it is understood. He says there must be some kind of other explanation. In this paper, I will try to explain both Anselm’s theory and Gaunilo’s argument by first breaking each of them down in simpler terms. I will attempt to show what Gaunilo is trying to discredit with his objection. One of St. Anselm’s theological topics†¦show more content†¦If a child imagines the greatest toy he can think of and then is able to play with it, it has to be better than just the image of the toy in the child’s mind. He can feel it and hold it and play with this perfe ct thing that nothing, in his eyes, can beat. He says it is perfect and part of that perfection comes from the fact that he can play with his creation. If God is perfect in human terms then he must exist, because if he did not then one can imagine something greater that does. What Anselm is saying is that God is perfect, to be perfect is to exist; therefore, God exists. Anselm uses an analogy of a fool to try and display what is meant by his idea. First, he says, â€Å"Truly there is a God, although the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God† (68). The fool is questioning whether or not God exists. He understands what God is, and he knows that God is the greatest being that can be conceived. He understands that this being known as God possesses every human perfection possible. This then, puts God into his understanding or rather, into his mind just as the toy was in the mind of the child. However, the fool cannot understand God to exist. He knows what the grea test being is; he just cannot see that being in front of him. He does not understand that something can exist in reality without being a concrete item or being. He cannot touch God or talk to or listen to God. He can only see God in his mind, so he is confused as to whether GodShow MoreRelatedSt. Anselm Of Canterbury2376 Words   |  10 Pagesphilosophers have been concerned with proving the existence of god, and from this has sprouted many arguments attempting to prove or disprove god’s existence from a wide variety of different perspectives. St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury has proved a true pioneer in the study of the philosophy of religion. Anselm provided one of the most crucial and influential solutions to solving the mystery of god’s existence, the Ontological Argument. While there were many different arguments (along with their originators)Read MoreEssay about St. Anselm of Canterbury1110 Words   |  5 Pagesitself, insufficient in proving that God e xists. There are a few problems with the argument that I will be discussing in detail in an attempt to illustrate exactly why ‘The Ontological Argument’ is unsatisfactory. The Definition of ‘Greater’ St. Anselm of Canterbury defined God as â€Å"that-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought† (Bailey, 2002). The problem with this definition is that the term ‘greater’ is surely up for interpretation. The term ‘greater’ requires a comparison between itself and oneRead MoreSt. Anselm : Meditation On Human Redemption1052 Words   |  5 PagesAnselm, sometimes thought of as the first philosopher of Christianity, practiced scholasticism, and in his writings he attempted harmonizing faith and reason. A piece of writing he is author of is called Meditation on Human Redemption. 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The â€Å"five ways† of proofing the existence of God, which is Article three, of Question 2, of part I, of his â€Å"Summa Theologià ¦Ã¢â‚¬ , gives five differentRead MoreThe Argument For The Existence Of God1411 Words   |  6 Pagesunison of fundamental decency and fundamental realism. St. Anselm of Canterbury acquired what we’ve cultured to being the ontological argument. He starts his argument with stating a fool can comprehend/grasp the idea a being than of which nothing greater can be conceived. Anselm persists towards affirming a fool would voice that the thought of an existing life is merely his viewpoint an d in the viewpoint of others but not reality. But, Anselm also acknowledges the likelihood of this existence living