Anselm's Ontological Argument Analysis

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In this paper I will argue that Anselm’s ontological argument, that God exists, does not work, because there is not a clear definition of what it really means to exist, and his overall statement is hopelessly vague. In Anselm’s Proslogion, Anselm discusses the key elements in his argument about why “God is which nothing greater can be thought” (Anselm, Proslogion,7). Anselm begins his ontological argument by insisting that one cannot imagine a God that is greater, and that even non-believers have some conception of the western God. Anselm argues that even though non- believers do not believe that God exist, they do have an understanding of God in their mind, so that means that God exist in reality. Anselm then concludes that since they have
He believes that God exist in the rational mind of people as the highest power, even though they are non-believers. Anselm does not specify what he actually means by the term exist, and this is confusing since there are a variety of definitions for the term exist. For instance, one definition of exist is to live within time and space. Since this is true it would disprove Anselm’s ontological argument, because in one of his key elements of proving that God exist is through the idea that God is beyond time, and space (Anselm, Proslogion,19). If God is beyond time, and space, then that verifies that he cannot exist. Consequently, Anselm’s argument does not work because one of the definitions for the term exist is to be matter within time and space, which is impossible for God because Anselm believes that nothing can contain God. In objection to the undefinable term exist, Anselm would respond that God is above what it means to be present in time, and that God is the creator of time altogether, but Anselm still does not provide a clear explanation for how it is even possible for God to be greater than existence, time, and space. Just because he believes that God is above everything, does not mean everyone else will agree

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