Alright, so after I finished writing a few blogs earlier, I went back to reading for my History of Christianity class, and read a very interesting document in my textbook. It’s so interesting in fact that I felt the need to sign back on and write another blog, giving anyone who reads this the chance to read it. Anselm lived from 1033-1109 and this writing was pleasingly humorous and amusing at the same time it was confusing and interesting. Yes, I definitely got confused while reading this, but all in all it was amusing and interesting. Wish I could argue like him.
This is from “A Summary of Christian History” by Robert A. Baker and John M. Landers, 3rd edition, published by B&H Publishing Group in Nashville, Tennessee in 2005, on pages 130-131.
(the first paragraph is commentary about the writing from the book’s author’s and then the next paragraph starts Anselm’s actual writing)
“Anselm of Canterbury was one of the earliest scholastics and one of the most original thinkers of the Middle Ages. He tried to interrelate faith and reason, but he argued that we must believe in God if we are to understand him. In the following passage Anselm argues that God is the Being of which we cannot imagine a greater. This has sometimes been called the ontological argument for the existence of God.
O Lord, who grantest to faith understanding, grant unto me that, so far as Thou knowest it to be expedient for me, I may understand that Thou art, as we believe; and also that Thou art what we believe Thee to be. And of a truth we believe that Thou art somewhat than which no greater can be conceived. Is there than nothing real that can be thus described? For the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Yet surely even that fool himself when he hears me speak of somewhat than which nothing greater can be conceived understands what he hears, and what he understands is in his understanding, even if he does not understand that it really exists. It is one thing for a thing to be in the understanding, and another to understand that the thing really exists. For when a painter considers the work which he is to make, he has it indeed in his understanding; but he doth not yet understand that really to exist which as yet he has not made. But when he has painted his picture, then he both has the picture in his understanding, and also understands it really to exist. Thus even the fool is certain that something exists, at least in his understanding, than which nothing greater can be conceived; because, when he hears this mentioned, he understands it, and whatsoever is understood, exists in the understanding. And surely that than which no greater can be conceived cannot exist only in the understanding. For if it exists indeed in the understanding only, it can be thought to exist also in reality; and real existence is more than existence in the understanding only. If then that than which no greater can be conceived exists in the understanding only, then that than which no greater can be conceived is something a greater than which can be conceived; this is is impossible. Therefore it is certain that something than which no greater can be conceived exists both in the understanding and also in reality.
Not only does this something than which nothing greater conceived exist, but it exists in such a true sense that it cannot even be conceived not to exist. For it is possible to form the conception of an object whose nonexistance shall be inconceivable; and such an object is of necessity greater than any object whose existance is conceivable. So if that than which no greater can be conceived can be conceived not to exist, it follows that that than which no greater can be conceived is thing but that which no greater can be conceived [for there can be thought a greater than it, namely, an object whose nonexistance shall be inconceivable]; and this brings us to a contradiction. And thus it is proved that that thing than which no greater can be conceived exists in so true a sense that it cannot even be conceived not to exist: and this thing art Thou, O Lord my God, existest in so true a sense that Thou canst not even be conceived not to exist. And this thing is fitting. For if any mind could conceive something better than Thee, then the creature would be ascending above the Creator, and judging the Creator; which is a supposition very absurd. Thou therefore does exist in a truer sense than all else beside Thee, and art more real than all else beside Thee; because whatever else existeth, existeth in a less true sense than Thou, and therfore is less real than Thou. Why then said the fool in his heart, There is no God, when it is so plain to rational mind that Thou art more real than anything else? Why, except that he is a fool indeed?”
I found this to be pretty interesting. He kind of lost me at points with all the then that than which’s and all the other highly used phrases, but I thought it was really neat and a strong argument. Just wanted to pass it along, and I thought me typing it out might have helped me understand it a little more….
~Sarah
Posted by corynsarah 
Posted by corynsarah 
Posted by corynsarah 
) So all in all, it has been nice to be back at school, and transition, somewhat, into the spring semester, but it is a definite struggle keeping up with such a fast pace. We’ll see how the rest of this semester goes.
