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4 - Leibniz

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2018

Graham Oppy
Affiliation:
Monash University, Victoria
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Summary

Leibniz stresses the incompleteness of previous versions of the ontological argument: they only show that ‘If God is possible, God exists.’ To be unconditionally conclusive, the argument must be formulated as follows: 1. If God is possible, God exists; 2. God is possible; 3. Therefore, God exists. The first part of this chapter discusses Leibniz’s attempts to support the first premise by defining God as the Ens perfectissimum, and by arguing, in turn, that a most perfect being implies necessary existence. The relationship between perfection and existence and Leibniz’s modal version of the argument are examined in detail. The second part turns to Leibniz’s attempts to support the second premise. His favourite strategy for proving God’s possibility, namely his arguments for the ‘pure positivity’ of the Ens perfectissimum, is outlined and evaluated. The chapter then focuses on his a posteriori approach based on a version of the cosmological argument, and on his proposal of a weaker strategy based on the presumption of possibility. The overall conclusion is that, for Leibniz, the only true objection to the ontological argument is the issue of God’s possibility. His arguments for God’s possibility face, however, significant objections which challenge his claim to have succeeded in completing the argument.
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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  • Leibniz
  • Edited by Graham Oppy, Monash University, Victoria
  • Book: Ontological Arguments
  • Online publication: 01 November 2018
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316402443.005
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  • Leibniz
  • Edited by Graham Oppy, Monash University, Victoria
  • Book: Ontological Arguments
  • Online publication: 01 November 2018
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316402443.005
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Leibniz
  • Edited by Graham Oppy, Monash University, Victoria
  • Book: Ontological Arguments
  • Online publication: 01 November 2018
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316402443.005
Available formats
×