Anselm vs. Kant - Philosophy Term Paper Example

Anselm: Young man, of the greats possible being, exists in mind; it must also exist in reality. If it only exists in mind then there is an even greater being which is possible. However, we cannot imagine something greater than God since everything around us was created by him, if then he is not the greats being, then there must be somebody else who is bigger than him. However, for this case, God remains the great being even if he exists only in the minds of people but not in reality. Thus, there is no any other superior being than God since we have not gotten any other being who exists in both the reality and in understanding; hence God remains greater than anything else.

Kant: I see. My argument is that if something that exists in our mind and if it exists in reality, can we conclude that what exists, in reality, is any better than what exists in understanding? According to my perception, what exists in in reality is only an affirmation of what exists in our mind. For example, 100 coins that exist in our mind and a pile of 100 coins that exist in reality will have the same worth. In other words, adding the existence to the particular idea would not make it any better, however, it would affirm it. This is why Im arguing that the non-existence of God in reality but his existence in understanding as you are stating means that it is an affirmation of the existence of God is also the reality.

Anselm: You must understand that God is that, than which nothing can be conceived. What do I mean? God is better, and he is just the best being, this means that God must exist. You should nit that something can exist in our minds and be strictly be imaginary or this thing can exist in our minds but also in reality. Thus, God is that thing9being) that exists strictly in mind. I suggest that Good things should exist both in mind and in reality but God to exists in mind only and this is a mystery to the humankind. Man does not understand God well since he does not excites in reality but just exists in the minds of the people. People just believe that there is God. They believe that God does wonders in their lives but they cannot see him. To have this belief, one must have a great faith in God based on the evidence that exists in reality that proves that God actually exists.

Kant: I get your argument, but objecting to your views of saying that people believe in God because of the evidence or the miracles they always encounter. My argument is that people assert that God exists; they are not saying that there is God who possesses the property of existence. If that were the case, then when people assert that God does not exist, they would say that there is a God and this God lacks property of existence. Thus, the existence of God is not a property that can be tied to beings like we always attribute other property. In other words, when we talk about entities existing, we contend that we do not actually mean to add existence as a property to their beings.

Anselm: Yes, that is my argument. It is possible to conceive of a being which cannot be conceived not to exist. This is greater than one which can be conceived nit to exist. Therefore, if that, than which nothing greater can be conceived, can be conceived not to exist, it is not that, than so truly a being than nothing greater can be conceived to exists that it cannot even be conceived not to exists. What I can just tell must students is that I have got two version of the argument about the existing of a greater being known as God. I assert in both versions that God is a being than which a greater cannot be conceived, however, this version does not depend on the claim that existence is perfection. However, it relies on the premise that necessary existence is perfection. Thus, a being whose existence is necessary is termed to be greater than any being whose existence is not necessary. Gods existence is necessary.

Kant: I have now started to agree with you on various points, but my worry is that you do believe that God exists in reality. But I can still state that any argument concerning the existence of God that is based on the reasoning that God that exists, in reality, is greater than God that only exits on the mind is a confused argument.

Anselm: I understand you, but the simple reasoning is that God is the great being that people can think of. Things that exist in reality are better than those that exist in mind because the seen things can easily be believed that the unseen things. If God existed only in our mind, then he would not be the greatest thing that we can think of since God, in reality, would be better. Therefore, God must exist in reality.