Does God Exist?.
When the question of God's existence arises, there are basically two answers, He exists(on some level or another) or he doesn't. My feelings concerning this matter place me into the middle of the two. I don't really know. I used to feel that the more theories I read the closer I would be to some type of answer or at least a feeling of peace in the matter. In fact, this has proven to be quite the opposite. I read once that a little philosophy makes an atheist and a little more makes a believer. This makes sense to me but it really hasn't produced any truth as of yet. Each of the Philosophers we have discussed in class shine just a bit of light on the subject of God, but they seem to just bring enough to the table to make their argument and then excuse themselves, leaving me with a half empty plate. .
First I"d like to discuss those philosophers who lean toward the "existence side".
Saint Anselm's Ontological argument states that " We have a concept of a perfect Being; such a perfect Being must necessarily exist. Why? If he did not exist, then he would not be perfect.Assuredly that, than which nothing greater can be conceived cannot exist in understanding alone." Saint Anselm's God is perfect in nature and being. As we discussed in class, we can conceive of a perfect island in our minds but that does not will it into existence. I feel that this statement makes an interesting point. However, the idea of God is not one man's dream of a creator, the idea of God spans a much wider group. Most cultures, past and present, have some concept or idea of God, even the most remote and isolated ones. I don't really know if I would leave that one up to chance, Although it is possible. God just seems to be a bit more of a universal idea unlike the perfect island scenario. Saint Thomas Aquinas also argued for God's existence and I found his Five Proofs for God's Existence quite compelling.