Theories of God

Theories of God

• If man did not exist, there have been no God problem. The problem really is that man exists and he wants to know why.

• Friedrich Nietzsche’s ominous proclamation that “God is dead” and after his own death himself, the God problem persisted over the years of philosophical speculation.

Theism

• Theism is understood as a belief in a personal God as the creator and supreme ruler of the universe, who transcends his creation but works in and through it in revealing himself to men.

• It is also regarded as an a priori demonstration because it is prior to experience.

Ontological Arguments

A. Anselmian Version

• St. Anselm- an Italian Franciscan who was popularly known as Archbishop of Canterbury

- originator of the ontological argument for the existence of God and one of the foremost figures of medieval theology

• Faith according to him is the starting point of man’s search fro truth, for unless one believes, one cannot understand.

• God is that than which no greater can be thought. Ang Diyos ay siyang pinakadakila na maaaring isipin.

• No greater can be thought must exist, not only mentally, in idea, but also extramentally.

• The argument begins with the idea of God as the greatest being, the idea which a man has of God, even if one denies his existence.

• If God is conceived as the greatest being, it necessarily follows that He exists.

• For a being to be the greatest one, existence must be one of its attributes, otherwise it cannot be the greatest.

• In Anselm’s view, God’s existence necessarily follows from his greatness or perfection. Therefore, being that than which no greater being can be thought, God exists.

B. Cartesian Version

• Rene Descartes’ version- The fact that I doubt means that I exist, for unless I exist I cannot doubt.

• Since I doubt, I am imperfect; for if I were perfect, I would no longer doubt.

• Despite the fact that I am imperfect, as evidenced by doubt, I have an idea of perfect being.

• Only a perfect being existing in reality could have implanted this perfect idea on my mind and