Comparison of Three Arguments for the Existence of God

Comparison of Three Arguments for the Existence of God

Anslem, Aquinas, and Paley offer different types of argument for the existence of God. Though those arguments are famous, and represent three dissimilar methods, I am still doubtful of some parts.

“A being than which nothing greater can be conceived”[1], that is the foundation of Anslem’s argument. With this prior condition, he claimed it is greater to exist in both reality and understanding than to exist only in understanding. Thus, God, the greatest being, should exist both in reality and understanding.

For people who believe in God, this argument seems convictive. However, as a person who does not believe God at all, the prior condition is unreasonable. There is no evidence supporting the idea that God is the greatest being. According to Descartes’s acceptable conclusion that “Undermining the foundations will cause whatever has been built upon them to fall down of its own accord”[2], this weak foundation cannot support the following additions. Excepted for the unreasonable foundation, there are no more suspicions in other parts.

In Aquinas five ways, the forth one is about degrees of excellence. The foundation of this argument is “one is more or less good or true or noble.”[3] He claimed that the “more” or “less” implied a standard of the quality in the highest degree, or closer to it. Then, he inferred one thing in the highest degree is also the cause of all things in that kind. Finally, he concluded there should be exists something, called as God, that causes every perfection in all existing things.

The foundation of this argument is just undeniable. The words “more” and “less” involve comparisons between at least two things. What’s more, the degree of one thing changes with the changing of comparative objects, the requirements of the judges, and other factors. The most important factor in the groups is the requirements of judges. With having two glasses of water, one is cold and...