Philosophy - God's Existence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy - God's Existence - Essay Example In either case, belief in the existence/non-existence of God is the prime motivating force behind the manner in which we choose to lead our lives. Arguments for the existence of God are generally categorized into the ontological, cosmological and teleological. Saint Anselm uses abstract reasoning as proof of God’s existence. He conceives of God as a perfect being, â€Å"a being than which nothing greater can be conceived† (Anselm para1). This concept of God is understood even by the non-believer. Therefore, God exists in the understanding and cannot be conceived not to exist. Since the concept of God in understood and exists, God exists in reality. Saint Thomas Aquinas bases his argument on cosmology, which propounds that the existence of the world is contingent and must have a cause. Aquinas argues that motion, which is undisputed, predicates the existence of a mover. In this context, God is the â€Å"First Mover put in motion by no other† (Aquinas 58). Likewise, it is undeniable that everything has a cause and God here is the â€Å"First Efficient Cause† (58). Everything that exists has a necessity caused by another. God emerges as a necessary being, having his own inherent necessity and causing all other necessities. The acceptance of comparative degrees of quality: more and less, mandates the existence of â€Å"something which is uttermost† (59). This perfection is God. As all nature is designed to function towards the achievement of a particular purpose, it follows that this purpose has been ordained by an â€Å"intelligent being† (60), that is, God. Coming to the teleological argument, William Paley uses the analogy of a watch to assert that something as complex as nature has been ordered and specifically designed to serve a particular purpose. Therefore, even if we are unable to grasp the design and are aware of the defects, we cannot but acknowledge the contrivance which springs from â€Å"the intelligence of the