1. Joined
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    15 Sep '06 13:07
    Im not saying God doesnt exist, but what the **** is up with this argument? god exists because we can DEFINE Him?" can someone make this credible to me, or reinforce my view that it is ridiculous please
    maybe Anselm was having a bad day?
  2. Standard memberPalynka
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    15 Sep '06 13:27
    Originally posted by mazziewag
    Im not saying God doesnt exist, but what the **** is up with this argument? god exists because we can DEFINE Him?" can someone make this credible to me, or reinforce my view that it is ridiculous please
    maybe Anselm was having a bad day?
    I also wonder if people laughed at him the first time he formulated it.

    (and then put on a very serious face trying to find out where the hell is his formal mistake)
  3. London
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    15 Sep '06 13:50
    Originally posted by Palynka
    I also wonder if people laughed at him the first time he formulated it.

    (and then put on a very serious face trying to find out where the hell is his formal mistake)
    I don't think Anselm was trying to "prove" the existence of God to a skeptic/atheist.
  4. Cape Town
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    15 Sep '06 13:59
    Originally posted by mazziewag
    Im not saying God doesnt exist, but what the **** is up with this argument? god exists because we can DEFINE Him?" can someone make this credible to me, or reinforce my view that it is ridiculous please
    maybe Anselm was having a bad day?
    The concept that it is possible to DEFINE something that is by definition unknowable is what is rediculous.
  5. London
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    15 Sep '06 14:06
    Originally posted by twhitehead
    The concept that it is possible to DEFINE something that is by definition unknowable is what is rediculous.
    How is God "unknowable by definition"??
  6. Standard memberPalynka
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    15 Sep '06 14:54
    Originally posted by lucifershammer
    I don't think Anselm was trying to "prove" the existence of God to a skeptic/atheist.
    What was he trying to do?
  7. London
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    15 Sep '06 15:06
    Originally posted by Palynka
    What was he trying to do?
    Don't know really. He certainly goes on to use his definition of God to derive other attributes of God.
  8. Standard memberPalynka
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    15 Sep '06 15:07
    Originally posted by lucifershammer
    Don't know really. He certainly goes on to use his definition of God to derive other attributes of God.
    That's what I meant. I mean, do you know anyone who read it for the first time and the first reaction wasn't: what the hell?!?

    (Ok, without the profanity 😉)
  9. London
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    15 Sep '06 15:13
    Originally posted by Palynka
    That's what I meant. I mean, do you know anyone who read it for the first time and the first reaction wasn't: what the hell?!?

    (Ok, without the profanity 😉)
    Probably not. It wasn't even well-received within the Church (Aquinas, for instance, was a notable critic).
  10. Standard memberPalynka
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    15 Sep '06 15:19
    Originally posted by lucifershammer
    Probably not. It wasn't even well-received within the Church (Aquinas, for instance, was a notable critic).
    Aquinas, now there's an interesting scholar. Have you read his Summa Theologiae? Is his writing a heavy read or is it clear and fluent?

    I've been curious about it for a long time.
  11. London
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    15 Sep '06 15:42
    Originally posted by Palynka
    Aquinas, now there's an interesting scholar. Have you read his Summa Theologiae? Is his writing a heavy read or is it clear and fluent?

    I've been curious about it for a long time.
    Provided you're reasonably clear on your Aristotle and Plato, it's not particularly heavy.

    You can read the Summa online at

    http://www.newadvent.org/summa/
  12. Joined
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    16 Sep '06 00:58
    Originally posted by mazziewag
    god exists because we can DEFINE Him?"
    Some of the ontological arguments aren't that ridiculous. But I don't know too many people who think any of them are persuasive.

    Check out the "Hegelian" ontological argument:

    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/
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