THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

Pondering through The Christian theology reader by Alister E. McGrath

1.7 In Proslogion (~1079), Anselm puts forth his famous argument for the existence of God:

• If we define God as "than which no greater can be thought"
• and we can think of such a God,
• the God surely exists
• for existence is greater than non-existence.

1.8 Writing in the late 11th century, Gaunilo (in Responsio Anselmi) counters Anselm by applying Anselm's logic to the existence of the greatest possible island, thereby showing the logic to be faulty.

How would you answer Anselm? Gaunilo?

Taking Anselm's argument as one point in an argument for the existence of God, does Gaunilo's critique still stand?

Tag(s): historical theology theology

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