The Rabenstranger

I’m currently listening to a taped lecture series by R.C. Sproul entitled The History of Philosophy. So far I’ve been very interested by discussions about Plato, Plotinus, Augustine and several others. One of the most fascinating philosophers covered and one I want to learn more about is Anselm.

Anselm served as the Archbishop of Canterbury and is best known for his attempts to elaborate the doctrines of the Christian faith rationally. He is particularly remembered for his ontological argument for the existence of God. This was his attempt at a simple explanation for why God has to exist.

The argument (in abbreviated form) goes something like this:

“Now we believe that [the Lord] is something that than which nothing greater can be conceived.

And certainly that than which a greater cannot be imagined cannot be in the understanding alone. For if it is at least in the understanding alone, it can be imagined to be in reality too, which is greater.

Therefore if that than which a greater cannot be imagined is in the understanding alone, that very thing than which a greater cannot be imagined is something than which a greater can be imagined. But certainly this cannot be.

There exists, therefore, beyond doubt something than which a greater cannot be imagined, both in the understanding and in reality.”

It’s certainly an interesting bit of logical gymnastics and it took me a bit to get my head wrapped around it. What do you think of it?