Research Essay: Anselm and his Argument for God in Proslogion.
Christa Lowery PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy Professor Steven Wilkens April 17, 2024
The focal argument of Proslogion, which all other arguments support, is that God is the greatest. There must be a greatest possible being, from which all things come and which sustains their existence. This greatest possible being, most importantly, must exist to be the greatest. If it didn’t exist, then something else, that does exist, would be greater. Hand in hand with that, not only must the being exist in reality, but be the greatest thing to ever exist. Therefore, it must exist through itself, and have existed for all time. For example, humans don’t exist through themselves, they must…show more content… As the creator and sustainer, all that comes from God is who He is. Anselm says, “Nothing can be born of you that is other than what you are.” (Ch. 23) God cannot create what is against or isn’t Him. He freely creates from His greatest qualities, goodness and justice, for example. Anselm explains that God’s Word can only be the truest because that is who God is. Jesus and the Holy Spirit can only be the most merciful and loving, yet just, because that is who God is. Not only does He freely create good things, but He freely gives good things. Anselm describes God’s goodness as “the one good, in which all good things are good.” (Ch. 25) As God is the creator and sustainer of all things, He loves all things equally. As mentioned above, God can not pick favorites, and doesn’t show extra mercy or grace to certain people, or punish certain people more often. Reflection: My initial thoughts on Proslogion by Anselm were positive. I found this book reinforced my faith and gave a solid argument for the existence of God, as well as a great explanation of His characteristics, not wholly based on Scripture, but also on His existence as the “greatest possible being.” The argument I found most interesting was
