ontological argument

Englisch - Englisch

Definition von ontological argument im Englisch Englisch wörterbuch: A type of argument proposed by a number of philosophers, including St. Anselm and Descartes, which maintains that the existence of God can be deduced from an analysis of the concept of God; 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 contradiction, since a being that lacks real existence is not a being than which none greater can be conceived. A yet greater being would be one with the further attribute of existence. Thus the unsurpassably perfect being must exist; otherwise it would not be unsurpassably perfect. This is among the most discussed and contested arguments in the history of thought
ontological arguments: plural form of ontological argument