The Ontological Argument for God

The Ontological Argument for the existence of God is often described as an argument that attempts to bridge the gap between the existence of an idea in the mind to the existence of a being outside of the mind. In other words, it is generally seen as a movement from an epistemological claim to an ontological reality. The weakness of the ontological argument in general is that we have innumerable examples of concepts that exist only in the mind, as many as our imagination can conceive. Even Thomas Aquinas speaks to the weaknesses in the argument but for some reason the idea continues to influence me in profound ways.

The argument against the ontological argument is as simple as an appeal to a celestial teapot that obits the sun between Earth and Mars. It is microscopic and can not be perceived by any means which we possess. Someone might argue 'Since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it.' A mere assertion is an assertion still, if it has not been formed into an argument. In this case the absence of evidence can be evidence of absence. We certainly have no evidence of any kind that there is a celestial teapot and prudence tells us that we should not think it exists unless evidence can be offered demonstrating the existence of the teapot.  Therefore it is not the responsibility of the opposition to disprove the assertion, the burden of proof belongs to the one adhering to the assertion.

While it is impractical to negate every conception which can arise in the imagination there remains a concept which is categorized along with all other concepts simply because it is an idea in the mind except that it also exists in a category of its own and must be treated as such. We are addressing the highest conception of the human intellect, particularly because of its unique and ubiquitous explanatory power. Is this special pleading? If the highest conception is nothing more than an infinite number of any other concepts then it would be an unequivocal case of special pleading. However, that the highest conception correlates to the most simplistic solution to all the issues of the universe demands our respectful attention. And it is the greatest idea that we can conceive in the mind, and it is certainly greater to exist than not to exist. Granted that some may not think the idea of God solves all issues and perhaps even creates other difficulties. But from many years of studying these questions there exists reasonable explanations which can lead us beyond rejecting the entire concept of God. Many problems arise from erroneous notions of God which are understandably in sharp conflict with human experience.

Ocham's Razor, the idea that all things being considered equal the simplest solution is preferred cutting off a multiplicity of superfluous causal factors. Of what other conceptions of the human mind can such a correlation be drawn to such a unique and ubiquitous explanatory power?  What is the probability that such a correlation even exists?

Unlike other theistic ideas Christianity is based upon historical evidences attested in the same manner as any event in history or any ancient literary work. Could the same be said of other religions or theistic positions? The plausibility of Christianity is born out of collaborative coincidences from entirely different fields of science.

It is significant that there exists such an idea that integrates an incredible number of factors, a view that offers explanations for what we encounter in the history of Christianity, the personal experiences of countless individuals through out the ages, the highest conception of the human intellect, and its astounding ability to address the deepest of human concerns in such a unique and ubiquitous manner.

When described and explained in this manner, I can not help but see the impact that the ontological argument has had upon me. As a corollary this also has significance by way of negation, meaning what would be lost if this highest conception had no basis in reality. Perhaps unlike some my whole being, feelings, and thoughts, are bent toward those most significant questions which could be posed by the human mind. Who am I? What am I? Why am I here? These questions of ultimacy weigh on me to a greater degree than some others. Some of the deepest desires and longings of the human heart are stripped away if this highest conception had no basis in reality. Throughout history we have observed some depraved individuals live long, prosperous lives while good natured people must endure incredible suffering and atrocities. Without this highest conception, the desire for greater meaning, purpose, justice, become mere fabrications, mere fiction that seizes to exist as soon as we no longer have a mind to conceive them.

Why am I a Christian? There does not exist any other conception of the mind which has such a unique and ubiquitous explanatory power. The ontological argument is an example of abductive reasoning, where we can see the effects and reason back to the most reasonable cause. Its influence lies within its ability to not only integrate a few ideas to imagine a being such as a unicorn, nor only integrate a few ideas to imagine an invisible pink elephant, nor only integrate a few ideas to imagine a god or many gods with limitations not unlike our own, but a unique, comprehensive, ubiquitous idea that integrates the most profound ideals of human thought in a manner that quantitatively and qualitatively surpasses any other human conception. If there is any fault in the ontological argument is that it does not bring us to a state of absolute certainty, although we can be reasonably certain that such a conception can exist in our mind only because there is a reality that correlates to it outside of the mind.

It is not just the fact of such a notion that is important but also how that concept is formed in the mind. For we are reasonably certain that nothing exists in the mind that did not first exist in the senses. We have an ability to draw data into the mind through which we might construct such a notion.

By way of negation we assert that this conception is unlike anything else we have observed, something that is not conformable to the physical realm but completely transcends it. We can observe that we are temporal, contingent, and complex, and by extension we can conceive of a being who is eternal, necessary, and simple.

By way of perfection we assert that this conception is the highest of all the noblest virtues of existence, such as beauty, love, and righteousness. We can observe our limited ability to know, act, and be present, and by extension we can conceive of a being who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.

By way of analogy we assert that this conception can be understood to some extent by what we observe, in that the entire physical realm reflects the creativity of the divine mind. We can observe an ancient and massive cosmos which can be viewed as a microcosm of the eternality and infinity of God. It is as if by viewing the cosmos we are seated upon the lap of God, viewing his reflection in water. An image that fails in comparison to the real thing but captures enough of its glory to lead us beyond the reflection to the reality. It is that moment when transcendent reality becomes so immanent that it takes residence in our very thoughts. And in this moment of divine contemplation we experience union with the holy and magnificent creator and lover of our souls. All other conceptions of the human mind fail to inspire this same level of awe.

Any one aspect of this conception could be dismantled and the underlying principle misapplied, but the accumulated effect of such a beautiful conglomeration of ideas synthesized into one profound and highest conception of the human mind is what I believe makes the ontological argument influential. God is a unique, comprehensive, ubiquitous idea that integrates the most profound ideals of human thought in a manner that quantitatively and qualitatively surpasses any other human conception. Something so profound, interesting, and clever, that it must be grounded in reality.