Gödel's ontological proof
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Gödel's ontological proof is a formal argument for God's existence by the mathematician Kurt Gödel. It is in a line of development that goes back to Anselm of Canterbury, (1033–1109). St. Anselm's ontological argument, in its most succinct form, is as follows: "God, by definition, is that for which no greater can be conceived. God exists in the understanding. If God exists in the understanding, we could imagine Him to be greater by existing in reality. Therefore, God must exist." A more elaborate version was given by Gottfried Leibniz (1646 AD to 1716 AD); this is the version that Gödel studied and attempted to clarify with his ontological argument.
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See also
- Absolute Infinite
- Existence of God
- Philosophy of religion
- Synthetic proposition
- Theism
- Ontological argument
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