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Question: Explain Descartes' version of the Ontological Argument. (25)
'Descartes has proved that a perfect God exists'. Discuss. (10)
Answer: René Descartes was a French 17th century philosopher, mathematician
and scientist. He was dubbed the father of modern western philosophy.
He wrote an amended version of the Ontological argument first
proposed by Anselm in the 11th century. Anselm was criticised by many
philosophers after him, so Descartes rewrote it. He knew he could not
prove the existence of God directly through his sensory experience and
that he needed an a priori proof to demonstrate God's existence. This
proof was the Ontological Argument amendment.
His argument builds upon 2 notions; the first being that God is, by
definition, perfect. If God was to be imperfect then he would not be God.
God contains all perfections, including the perfection of existence. If God
did not exist then he would cease to be perfect. The second notion was
that existence is a defining predicate of the concept of God, in the s...(short extract)
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- Subject: Philosophy
- Course: Philosophy
- Level: A-Level
- Year: Not applicable
- Mark: Not available
- Words: 925
- Date submitted: December 09, 2016
- Date written: Not available
- References: No
- Document type: Essay*
- Essay ID: 7753
