St. Anselm, Archbishop of Cantebury (1033-1109 AD), made the following argument

ID: 3111747 • Letter: S

Question

St. Anselm, Archbishop of Cantebury (1033-1109 AD), made the following

argument for the existence of God, as presented by Kenneth Einar Himma (Seattle Pacific

University) in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

http://www.iep.utm.edu/ont-arg/

Represent this argument using predicates and quantifiers, and identify which of the Rules of

Inference are utilized in Anselm’s argument.

(a) By definition, God is a being than which none greater can be imagined.

(b) A being that necessarily exists in reality is greater than a being that does not necessarily

exist.

in reality, then we can imagine something that is greater than God.

(d) But we cannot imagine something that is greater than God.

(e) Thus, if God exists in the mind as an idea, then God necessarily exists in reality.

(f) God exists in the mind as an idea.

(g) Therefore, God necessarily exists in reality.

(b) A being that necessarily exists in reality is greater than a being that does not necessarily exist.

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.