Ontological Argument for God

Ontological argument (St. Anselm)

Argument 1, (Laurence Gonzaga, 04/20/2008)

1) God is, by definition, the “greatest” (that than which nothing greater is possible).
2) The notion of the “greatest” exists in the mind.
3) The “greatest” may exist in reality.
4) If the “greatest” only existed in the mind, and the “greatest”may have existed in reality, then the “greatest” [in reality] might have been greater than the “greatest” [in the mind].
5) The “greatest” may be greater than it is.
6) Therefore, the “greatest” is something that something greater is possible.
7) This is not possible, reductio ad absurdum (reduction to the absurd).
8) Therefore, the “greatest” (God) exists in both the mind and in reality.

Argument 1, variation (Laurence Gonzaga, 03/14/2009)

1) There is an understanding in the “believer” and the “unbeliever” of God as “that than which nothing greater can be conceived”, which can be summarized as “the greatest”.
2) The greatest can exist in the understanding alone, or in the understanding and reality.
3) Things that exist in reality, even those things which existed in the past, are greater than things which exist in the understanding alone.
4) If the greatest does not exist in reality, then there exists an absurdity (reductio ad absurdum ), since any object that exists in reality, even those which existed in the past, would be greater than “the greatest”, which exists in the understanding alone. So, “the greatest” would not really be the greatest.
5) Therefore, “the greatest” must exist in reality. The greatest, is He who we call God.

Argument 2

1) God is defined as the “greatest” (aliquid, quo nihil majus cogitari posit, that than which nothing greater can be conceived).
2) It is greater to be a necessary being than not.
3) God must be necessary.
4) God necessarily exists.