The Review of Metaphysics 64 . 1 ( September 2010 ) : 31 - 54 Anselm ’ s Argument Reconsidered

Anselm's ontological argument in Proslogion 2 has been discussed and criticized so much that it is hard for us today to see its basic structure. The philosophical consensus seems to be that the argument is hopeless: it either begs the question against the atheist or it is invalid. The case against it appears to be closed. 1 No doubt one reason many philosophers consider the ontological argument hopeless is that they assume it to be an argument from the idea or concept of God to God’s existence. On such a construal the argument would be this: (i) The idea (or concept) of God is the idea or concept of something than which nothing greater can be conceived (or perhaps the idea or concept of a Perfect Being). (ii) The idea (or concept) of something than which nothing greater can be conceived (or the idea or concept of a Perfect Being) includes the idea (or concept) of existence.