1. By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Have reinforced your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.
Understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.
Have aimed to write a level 5 AO1 response to an examination question on the ontological argument.
Skills Focus
AO1 – knowledge and understanding
Specialist vocabulary
Essay writing
Exam technique
Literacy

2. Spec Check – Component 2: Philosophy Theme 1: Arguments for the existence of God
AO1 – Knowledge and Understanding
AO2 – Issues for Analysis and Evaluation A
Inductive arguments –
Cosmological
Whether inductive arguments for the existence of God are persuasive.
The extent to which the Kalam cosmological argument is convincing.
The effectiveness of the cosmological/teleological argument for God’s existence.
Whether cosmological/teleological arguments are persuasive in the 21st Century.
The effectiveness of the challenges to the cosmological/teleological arguments for God’s existence.
Whether scientific explanations are more persuasive than philosophical explanations for the universe’s existence. B
Teleological C
Challenges to inductive arguments D
Deductive arguments –
Origins of the ontological argument
The extent to which ‘a priori’ arguments for God’s existence are persuasive.
The extent to which different religious views on the nature of God impact on arguments for the existence of God.
The effectiveness of the ontological argument for God’s existence.
Whether the ontological argument is more persuasive than the cosmological/teleological arguments for God’s existence.
The effectiveness of the challenges to the ontological argument for God’s existence.
The extent to which objections to the ontological argument are persuasive. E
Developments of the ontological argument F
Challenges to the ontological argument

3. AO1 – Knowledge and Understanding
Spec Check – Component 2: Philosophy Theme 1: Arguments for the existence of God
AO1 – Knowledge and Understanding
D: Deductive arguments – origins of the ontological argument:
Deductive proofs; the concept of ‘a-priori’.
St Anselm – God as the greatest possible being (Proslogian 2)
St Anselm – God has necessary existence (Proslogion 3)

4. Starter 1 Point 2 Points 3 Points Inductive argument
Without using your notes, write a definition for the following words/terms:
You have three minutes.
1 Point
2 Points
3 Points
Inductive argument
Deductive argument
Contingent
A-posteriori
A-priori
Necessary
Empirical
Synthetic
Analytic
L.O.1: To reinforce your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.

5. The Ontological Argument
The ontological argument is
Analytic
A-priori
Deductive
Let’s consolidate our understanding of these terms …
L.O.1: To reinforce your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.

6. The Ontological Argument
ANALYTIC
A statement true by definition.
E.g: A bachelor is an unmarried man.
Which of the following are analytical statements?
A triangle is a three sided shape.
Ice is frozen water.
Danny Pearson is the principal of Aquinas College.
A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
All cats have tails.
Religious Studies is challenging.
God exists.
L.O.1: To reinforce your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.

7. The Ontological Argument
A-PRIORI
Knowledge gained from logical reasoning prior to or without experience.
E.g. Elvis’ mother was female.
Which of the following are a- priori statements?
What have you noticed?
A triangle is a three sided shape.
Ice is frozen water.
Danny Pearson is the principal of Aquinas College.
A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
All cats have tails.
Religious Studies is challenging.
God exists.
L.O.1: To reinforce your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.

8. The Ontological Argument
Deductive
If the premises are true, the conclusion has to be true.
Which of the following are deductive arguments?
Premise 1: All oceans contain water. Premise 2: The Atlantic is an ocean. Conclusion: The Atlantic contains water.
P1: Mo Farah won Olympic gold in the 5000 and metres in 2012.
P2: Mo Farah won Olympic gold in the 5000 and metres in 2016.
C: Mo Farah will win Olympic gold in the 5000 and metres in 2020.
P1: All French people speak fluent English.
P2: Pierre is a French person.
C: Pierre speaks fluent English.
L.O.1: To reinforce your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.

9. Learning check … By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Have reinforced your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.
Understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.
Have aimed to write a level 5 AO1 response to an examination question on the ontological argument.
Skills Focus
AO1 – knowledge and understanding
Specialist vocabulary
Essay writing
Exam technique
Literacy

10. What type of argument is it?
Task
Read the three paragraphs under the heading, ‘what type of argument is it?’ on page 117.
Fill in the definitions of the key terms, including an example.
What does ‘ontos’ mean?

11. What does the argument try to do?
The ontological argument sets out to prove, simply from the concept of God as the supreme being, that God’s existence cannot rationally be doubted by anyone having such a concept of him.
It tries to move from just the concept of God to God’s existence.
It sets out to show that the existence of God is a logically necessary element of the idea of God.
In other words, God HAS to exist!

12. Meet St. Anselm ... Hi! I’m Anselm. I was Archbishop of
Canterbury in the late 11th century.
I devised the ontological argument in
parts 2 and 3 of my book, the
Proslogion (written 1078).
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

13. You fool!
“Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God’.”
(Psalm 14:1 and 53:1)
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

14. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
You have two minutes to write as many words as you can to define/describe ...
0:39
0:40
0:38
0:42
0:43
0:37
0:41
0:35
0:31
0:30
0:32
0:33
0:44
0:34
0:36
0:46
0:54
0:53
0:55
0:56
0:58
0:57
0:52
0:51
0:47
0:29
0:48
0:49
0:50
0:45
0:28
0:08
0:07
0:09
0:10
0:12
0:11
0:06
0:05
End
2:00
0:01
0:02
0:04
0:03
0:13
0:14
0:23
0:22
0:24
0:25
0:27
0:26
0:21
0:20
0:16
0:15
0:17
0:18
0:19
0:59
1:01
1:41
1:40
1:42
1:43
1:45
1:44
1:39
1:38
1:33
1:32
1:34
1:35
1:37
1:36
1:46
1:47
1:56
1:55
1:57
1:58
2:00
1:59
1:54
1:53
1:49
1:48
1:50
1:51
1:52
1:00
1:31
1:10
1:09
1:11
1:12
1:14
1:13
1:08
1:07
1:03
1:02
1:04
1:05
1:06
1:30
1:15
1:25
1:24
1:26
1:27
1:29
1:28
1:16
1:23
1:18
1:17
1:22
1:19
1:20
1:21
GOD
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

15. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
God is a being than which nothing greater can be conceived.
This means that God is the greatest possible being that can be thought of.
Anselm said that atheists can define God even though they don’t believe in him.
Look back at your words to describe / define God. Even if you are the ‘fool’ that denies God exists, you already understand the word ‘God’ or else you could not say there is no God!
Thus God already exists in the mind (in intellectu) of anyone who understands the word.
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

16. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
Something that exists in reality and in the mind is greater than something that exists as an idea or thought in the mind alone.
THINK - Imagine your perfect partner.
PAIR - Tell your ‘elbow buddy’ all the amazing qualities such a person would have. Discuss whether you would you rather go out with the real person or the imaginary one?
SHARE – Share your ideas with the class.
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

17. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
Something that exists in reality and in the mind is greater than something that exists as an idea or thought in the mind alone.
Which is greater? Anselm argues that the real thing is always greater than the thought. OR
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

18. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
If there is no being greater than God, God cannot only exist in the mind. Therefore, God must exist in reality and in the mind.
Anselm is arguing that God logically has to exist!
If God only existed in the mind/thought we would be able to think of something greater because …
Something that exists in reality is greater than that which exists in the mind alone.
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

19. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
If there is no being greater than God, God cannot only exist in the mind. Therefore, God must exist in reality and in the mind.
Yet if God is a being than which nothing greater can be conceived (as point 1), God has to exist in reality.
If we can conceive of a God it would be contradictory to say he doesn’t exist!
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

20. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
Explain why this is a deductive argument for God’s existence.

21. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
Greatest Conceivable Being
Omniscient
Omnipotent
Omnibenevolent
Just
EXISTING
Not So Great a Being
Omniscient
Omnipotent
Omnibenevolent
Just
Non-existent
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

22. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
Anselm’s argument depends on the assumption that existence in reality and in the mind is greater than existence in the mind alone.
In other words, an idea that exists in reality and in the mind has some extra quality that the idea in the mind alone lacks.
What is that quality? Anselm’s answer is of course:
EXISTENCE
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

23. Anselm’s Ontological Argument
Existence is a predicate.
Predicate = an intrinsic property or quality of something.
A predicate of God = God’s existence.
Tasks
Read the information on p121 and complete the missing words.
Why is the ontological argument analytic and a-priori?
Stretch and challenge: Can you identify any strengths and weaknesses of Anselm’s ontological argument?
L.O.1: To reinforce your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

24. Anselm concludes: Why then, did the fool say in
his heart ‘God is not’, since it
is so obvious to the rational
mind that you exist supremely
above all things.
L.O.2: To understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.

25. Learning check … By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Have reinforced your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.
Understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.
Have aimed to write a level 5 AO1 response to an examination question on the ontological argument.
Skills Focus
AO1 – knowledge and understanding
Specialist vocabulary
Essay writing
Exam technique
Literacy

26. Explain Anselm’s ontological argument for God’s existence.
Level 5
Thorough, accurate and relevant knowledge and understanding.
Excellent use of evidence and examples.
Thorough and accurate use of specialist language and vocabulary in context.
PEEL
Point – make a point
Explain – explain that point
Evidence – provide evidence / examples to support the point.
Link – connect the paragraph to the question and/or to that which will follow.
L.O.3: To aim to write a level 5 AO1 response to an AO1 question on the ontological argument.

27. PEER ASSESS
SPECIALIST VOCABULARY – Highlight. Has the specialist language and vocabulary been used accurately? Add/improve any explanations you think are necessary.
POINTS – THOROUGH, ACCURATE AND RELEVANT - Are they well explained? Is any key information missing? Does the point link to the question? Add/improve any explanations you think are necessary. Correct any mistakes.
EVIDENCE / EXAMPLES – Highlight. Are they well explained? Is it clear how they support the information? Add/improve any explanations you think are necessary.
SPELLING (Sp), PUNCTUATION (P) AND GRAMMAR (G) – Identify mistakes and code accordingly.

28. Learning check … By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Have reinforced your knowledge of specialist vocabulary relating to arguments for God’s existence.
Understand Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the existence of God based on God as the greatest possible being.
Have aimed to write a level 5 AO1 response to an examination question on the ontological argument.
Skills Focus
AO1 – knowledge and understanding
Specialist vocabulary
Essay writing
Exam technique
Literacy

29. Plenary
Find someone who … (p127)