April 30, 201511 yr This forum is for discussion of Anselm's Ontological Argument for the existence of God (Ontological argument - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Below is my "translation." ______________________________________________________________________ I think most atheists and agnostics would agree that an acceptable definition of "God" is an imaginative being which is greater than all other things that can be imagined. So, you might say then that God exists in the mind. But I ask you this: Which is greater? Holding Super Bowl 50 tickets that exist only in the mind, or Holding Super Bowl 50 tickets that actually exist? Certainly we can all agree having tickets is greater than just imagining the tickets. So, if "God" only exists in the mind, then we must assume that there is something greater that can be imagined. But the definition of "God" says there is nothing greater that can be imagined, therefore God must exist outside of the imagination as well, since things that exist both in the mind and outside the mind (like the Super Bowl tickets) are greater than things that exist only in the mind.
April 30, 201511 yr Author When I first read this argument, I was hooked. I think it may be hard to put holes in it, but I also know that most of my peers do not accept this argument as "proof" or "evidence" that God exists. Anyone else have any thoughts?
May 1, 201511 yr Interesting "thoughts". What is reality? If it is in our mind, is it only there because of a physical manifestation or isn't there a spiritual dimension? interpretation: If God exists in our minds, God is real.
May 2, 201511 yr Author Interesting "thoughts". What is reality? If it is in our mind, is it only there because of a physical manifestation or isn't there a spiritual dimension? interpretation: If God exists in our minds, God is real. I think if you accept the definition of God as "that of which nothing greater can be imagined" then yes.
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