Proslogion
Encyclopedia
The Proslogion, written in 1077-1078, was written as a prayer, or meditation, by the medieval cleric
Anselm
which serves to reflect on the attribute
s of God
and endeavours to explain how God can have qualities which often seem contradictory. In the course of this meditation, the first known formulation of the ontological argument for the existence of God was set out.
, but rather from the perspective of a Christian believer seeking a rationale for his/her faith
. His original title for the discourse, in fact, was Faith Seeking Understanding. The Proslogium is the source for Anselm's famous and highly controversial ontological argument
for the existence of God—that is, the argument in favor of God's existence by definition. While opinions concerning the ontological argument vary widely (and have from the moment the Proslogium was written), it is generally agreed that the argument is most convincing to Anselm's intended audience: that is, Christian believers seeking a rational basis for their belief in God.
The Argument (after Dr. Scott H. Moore's analysis)
Come on now little man, get away from your worldly occupations for a while, escape from your tumultuous thoughts. Lay aside your burdensome cares and put off your laborious exertions. Give yourself over to God for a little while, and rest for a while in Him. Enter into the cell of your mind, shut out everything except God and whatever helps you to seek Him once the door is shut. Speak now, my heart, and say to God, "I seek your face; your face, Lord, I seek." Source: Medieval Sourcebook
CHAPTER II: That God Truly Exists
CHAPTER III: That God Cannot be Thought Not to Exist
CHAPTER IV: How the Fool Managed to Say in His Heart That Which Cannot be Thought
CHAPTER V: God is the only self-existent being
Chapter VI: God is sensible but not a body
Chapter VII: God is omnipotent
Chapter VIII: God is compassionate and passionless
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
Anselm
Anselm of Canterbury
Anselm of Canterbury , also called of Aosta for his birthplace, and of Bec for his home monastery, was a Benedictine monk, a philosopher, and a prelate of the church who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109...
which serves to reflect on the attribute
Attribute
Attribute may refer to:* In research, a characteristic of an object - see attribute * In philosophy, property , an abstraction of a characteristic of an entity or substance...
s of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and endeavours to explain how God can have qualities which often seem contradictory. In the course of this meditation, the first known formulation of the ontological argument for the existence of God was set out.
Faith seeking understanding
Anselm wrote this discourse, not from the perspective of an attempt to convince non-Christians of the truth of ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, but rather from the perspective of a Christian believer seeking a rationale for his/her faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
. His original title for the discourse, in fact, was Faith Seeking Understanding. The Proslogium is the source for Anselm's famous and highly controversial ontological argument
Ontological argument
The ontological argument for the existence of God is an a priori argument for the existence of God. The ontological argument was first proposed by the eleventh-century monk Anselm of Canterbury, who defined God as the greatest possible being we can conceive...
for the existence of God—that is, the argument in favor of God's existence by definition. While opinions concerning the ontological argument vary widely (and have from the moment the Proslogium was written), it is generally agreed that the argument is most convincing to Anselm's intended audience: that is, Christian believers seeking a rational basis for their belief in God.
The Argument (after Dr. Scott H. Moore's analysis)
- One can imagine a being than which none greater can be conceived.
- We know that existence in reality is greater than existence in the mind alone.
- If the being we imagine exists only in our mind, then it is not a "being than which none greater can be conceived".
- A being than which none greater can be conceived must also exist in reality.
- Failure to exist in reality would be failure to be a being than which none greater can be conceived.
- Thus a being than which none greater can be conceived must exist, and we call this being God.
Excerpts
CHAPTER I: Encouraging the Mind to Contemplate GodCome on now little man, get away from your worldly occupations for a while, escape from your tumultuous thoughts. Lay aside your burdensome cares and put off your laborious exertions. Give yourself over to God for a little while, and rest for a while in Him. Enter into the cell of your mind, shut out everything except God and whatever helps you to seek Him once the door is shut. Speak now, my heart, and say to God, "I seek your face; your face, Lord, I seek." Source: Medieval Sourcebook
CHAPTER II: That God Truly Exists
CHAPTER III: That God Cannot be Thought Not to Exist
CHAPTER IV: How the Fool Managed to Say in His Heart That Which Cannot be Thought
CHAPTER V: God is the only self-existent being
Chapter VI: God is sensible but not a body
Chapter VII: God is omnipotent
Chapter VIII: God is compassionate and passionless