Essay On Anselm's Proslogium

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Dr. Key

History of Philosophy Anselm’s Proslogium is a discourse on the existence of God in the form of a prayer. Notably, in the course of this prayer is the formation of the ontological argument, which evidently, logically validates the existence of God. The ontological argument possesses two distinct components that are mentioned in the Proslogium. Anselm’s first assertion is that everyone at least has a conception of God. He says, “even the fool is convinced that something exits…than which nothing greater can be conceived” (445). Moreover, God as a concept cannot merely exist in thought, since He is greater than every conceivable thing (445). Conceivable things can exist only in imagination and not reality, but God is greater than

In Guanilo’s criticism the disapproval lies in the fact that, apparently, anything can be supplemented in the place of the conception of God. Guanilo retorts that he could use an island, for example, as a substitute for the conception of God (446). Therefore, because he possesses a conception of a most perfect island, it must necessarily exist (446).

Nevertheless, Anselm cleverly responds to this criticism and demonstrates how Guanilo missed the ontological idea in ST. Anselm’s Rejoinder. The island that Guanilo speaks of, or any other potential substitute for that manner, does not reflect necessary being and is contingent. Only God can be that which nothing greater can be conceived (447). Guanilo’s argument fails to disprove the credibility of the ontological argument because it attempts to replace the concept of God with something that belongs to an entirely distinct category.

Anselm’s ontological argument is important because it leaves no gray area concerning spiritual faith. The second portion of the argument asserts that God’s existence is either possible or impossible, and if possible, then He exists necessarily (445). Moreover, it eliminates the thought, that God can be conceptually possible and that He may or may not