In Meditation V, Descartes proffers an ontological argument for God’s existence. Assess that argument and determine if you find it convincing. Then discuss if this argument is enough for him to claim in the last paragraph of Meditation VI, “For from the fact that God is not a deceiver it follows that in cases like these I am completely free from error.” Also, discuss just what “cases” he means.
Sample Solution
Descartes’ ontological argument for God’s existence is that since God is a perfect being and an idea of perfection exists within the mind, then God must also exist outside of the mind. He believes that if something is greater or more perfect than anything else it could not have come from nothing, so since his idea of a perfect being has no defects this being must exist in reality. This argument relies heavily on the concept of causality; because there can be no effect without a cause, he claims that any idea which has been created must be caused by some external source – in this case the perfect being known as God.
Sample Solution
Descartes’ ontological argument for God’s existence is that since God is a perfect being and an idea of perfection exists within the mind, then God must also exist outside of the mind. He believes that if something is greater or more perfect than anything else it could not have come from nothing, so since his idea of a perfect being has no defects this being must exist in reality. This argument relies heavily on the concept of causality; because there can be no effect without a cause, he claims that any idea which has been created must be caused by some external source – in this case the perfect being known as God.