Anselm’s Cosmological Argument

Anselm seeks to explain the macrocosm of a superlative be, i. e. God. He approaches this task not via our experience of the universe, but sort of attempts to explain it solely base upon reason. Anselm attempts to take the stand the goence of God by providing us with a logical explanation, based upon our understanding, definition, and necessity of God. It is out of the question for God not to hold up. There is a authoritative nature by means of which everything that is exists, Anselm explains, is caused to exist by something.Everything that is, exists by truth of something, and naught is able to exist through nil. The underlying assumption here is that things do not exist through themselves for there is no need for their organism. tip to conclude that it is implausible that anything at all is able to exist because of nothing, and that nothing should exist because of something. Building upon foregoing furrow, Anselm concludes that whatever is does not exist still thr ough something. Since, according to him, this premise is true and since, as pointed out earlier in his rivalry, everything that is exists either through it ego or through something, there must be unrivalled, or many, creations though which all things that are exist. Our existence and the existence of everything there is, therefore, must be explained by a virtue of a higher(prenominal) being, or several of them. Anselm identifies and explores several possibilities of existence of a higher being, or beings.He points out that there may be several beings, rather than one, that are the ultimate cause of everything that exists, and presents one with his critical analysis of such(prenominal) idea. Anselm argues that if there is more than one of such beings then they themselves must exist either through (a) one being, (b) respectively through itself, or (c) inversely through one another. If, he states, these beings exist through one positive being, then all things that exist ground worknot exist through more than one being. Following this premise, Anselm concludes that all things that exist must therefore exist through this one supreme being.If, however, there are many beings, which exist separately and each through itself, then there must be a certain power or property of existing through self, by which they are able to exist. Building upon this premise, Anselm goes on to explain that it is because of this busy power or property that each of these beings is able to exist. Thereby reason that these beings exist by virtue of one greater power, without which they cannot exist. Once again we are back to the same argument that only one being can exist, for plurality does not explain itself.Lastly, a third alternative proposed by Anselm deals with beings existing mutually through one another. He argues that such thought is contrary to reason. For, it is irrational that anything should exist through a being on which it confers existence. In other words, there c annot be a being that is a giver and a taker. That, which exists by its own virtue and is however dependent on itself for existence. Taking all of the arguments and points stated above, Anselm concludes that there can only be one greatest being, i. e. God, and it is through him that everything that is exists.If everything that is, exists by virtue of something, and nothing is able to exist through nothing, then God just now cannot be conceived not to exist. God is that, which alone exists in the greatest and highest story of all and nothing greater can be conceived. For, everything that exists, exists through this greatest being, but it alone exists through itself. One aspect of Anselms argument that stands out in particular is a premise upon which the whole argument is based. Explicitly, Everything that is, exists either through1 something, or through nothing.But nothing exists through nothing. For it is altogether inconceivable that anything should not exist by virtue of someth ing. This, he holds to be the taken for granted(predicate) truth. Once again, the underlying assumption here is that things do not exist through themselves for there is no need for their existence. Such things therefore cannot be the cause of their own existence. Therefore, it must exist by virtue of a greater being. BIBLIOGRAPHY S. D. Deane, (Trans. ), St. Anselm, Basic Writings (Second Ed. ), La Salle, Illinois Open Court create Company, 1994.