Comparing Theories of Gods Existence Essays - 641 Words

Comparing Theories of Gods Existence Many different philosophers have their own theory on Gods existence. They have their own thoughts of how they believe God is a cause. Such philosophers are Anslem, Spinoza, and Leibniz. . Anslem is a philosopher who used the ontological way of thinking to explain Gods existence. The ontological thought process shows the existence and being of a thing. Anselms argument is that God is this being that so truly exists that it cannot be even thought not to exist (p. 860). The thoughts and ideas that are in your mind correspond to what exists. However, if you think about things that dont exist it is not as good. The things that exist are real and Gods creation, and to†¦show more content†¦God is apriori, meaning he is the cause of everything and we are a mode of God because we are dependent of him. Spinoza also states one substance cannot be produced by another substance (p.117). In nature no two substances with the same attributes can exist. Dependent things cannot be treated as a substance. Dependent things are just modes of the same substance. God is an immediate cause, in which he is immediately in everything we see. Since God determines everything, he takes out free will. God determines all our free will of thinking and our free process of nature. This is due to the fact that he determines everything. Spinoza calls him an efficient cause, not only of the existence of things but also their essence(p.129). He is a direct cause of everything and he is in immediate contact with us. All things have a reason and everything is because of everything else. God is this reason and this is why God is an efficient cause. As a philosopher Spinoza states God is an independent entity in which he is an eternal truth. Due to this you cannot conceive God as anything else but true. Leibniz was a monad who treats God as a category, something that is perfect. Leibniz says, God is an absolutely perfect being(p.81). God is perfect in every way meaning that he contains no impossibility and has no limits. God is the architect of this world and he has chosen the best possibilities for the world toShow MoreRelatedTo Live for God or for Meaning737 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout the history of philosophical theories there have many shifts of thought, one of the most dramatic would certainly be the change from focusing on ideas of God and the proving of God’s existence to thoughts on the â€Å"death of God† and ways to find meaning in life despite his absence. This shift is demonstrated by the changing tone of the writings of Anselm and Descartes to the writings of Feuerbach and Nietzsche. 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