The Existence of God: Descartes' And Anselm's Proof

Ontology is the study of the first principles or essence of things. Essence is the intrinsic nature of something that shows character. This concept of essence is the foundation of the ontological argument. It provides a basis for the nature of a greater being because it shows God is the reason for all good and true. The Ontological argument for God’s existence is grounded in the ideas of mystical experiences and beings. Mystical means a spiritual sense or force. This essay explains the specifics of the Descartes and Anselm`s proof of the existence of God.

The philosophers Descartes and Anselm are similar in that they both support the idea of a supreme greater being from the idea of essence. In both arguments, existence is considered the predicate of God. God is the greatest perfect being so he must exist. As well as, God has to be perfect to give us a role model to lead by. These philosophers support the idea of monotheism, the belief in one god. They contest the concept of anthropomorphic Gods because God has to be a perfect divine character. However, the most famous notion of god's existence is founded by Anselm of Canterbury.

Anselm focuses on the idea that God is a being that which nothing greater can be conceived. Anselm focuses on the more perceptual notion of God. He believes that we understand and can consistently think about the concept of God whereas we cannot think about the concept of a sphere. In Proslogion 3, Anselm conjures that if only God were to exist alone in our minds, people should be capable of thinking of a greater being than God. Anselm debates that God must exist because if he only exists contingent then he would rely on a greater being or another existence too. Anselm makes an illicit jump from thought process to reality. He provides no real explanation for God's existence in the real world besides faith. 

Rene Descartes is a well-known modern philosopher and mathematician that simplified philosophy. He is credited with the phrase, “ cogito ergo sum.” This means I think, therefore I am and this single phrase is what he applies all his reasoning too. Descartes is known for the more simplistic explanation of God's being. He focuses on the more analytical notion of God. Descartes forms the idea that God has to exist to guarantee the greater unknown in the world. Descartes describes God's existence as geometrics and a calculated existence. Descartes's belief in God comes from the fact that there is a necessity for a supreme greater being. Descartes focuses on an analytic notion of God. Descartes prides himself on the theory of innate ideas and Clear and distinct perception. I think, therefore I am let’s us know that there has to be evidence for every existence. Descartes's perception is simple due to the abundance of evidence. 

In his fifth mediation, the existence of God is self-evident based on a sense of intuitive certainty. Since he was a mathematician he helps us understand his argument by using an example of a triangle. We need to discover a complex logical proof for his being. The idea of clear and distinct perception has allowed him to object to Anselm's argument. 

In the fourth mediation, he states whatever is perceived as clear and distinct shall be held in the context of the real world. Descartes argues that it follows that we cannot be mistaken about the things of which our mind has a very clear and distinct perception. 

Ultimately, Descartes's ontological argument reigns true and holds more weight than Anselm's due to his abundance of evidence. His goal is to not only explain God's existence but to provide reasoning for all beings and that to survive we must think to exist.