Part 3 reason as a source of knowledge

What is a common theme with cosmological arguments for the existence of God?

• That the concept of God shows God exists

• That the design of the world shows God exists

• That something must have caused things to exist and this God

Which of these did Descartes attribute to his existence according to his cosmological argument?

• Himself

• He has always existed

• His parents

• God

An objection to Descartes' cosmological argument is that he could have been created by an imperfect being or process. Which of his other arguments did he appeal to combat this objection?

• His ontological argument

• His trademark argument

What is a common theme with ontological arguments for the existence of God?

• The concept of God proves that God exists

• The design in the world proves that God exists

• Something must have caused things to exist and this was God

What does the term 'ontological' concern?

• To do with knowledge

• To do with what exists

• To do with logic

• To do with experience

Which of these 4 premises of Descartes' ontological argument has an incorrect word?

•  1. I have an idea of God, that is to say an idea of a perfect being.

•  2. A perfect being must have all perfections.

•  3. Existence is an imperfection.

•  4. Therefore God exists.

Which of these philosophers raised the 'perfect island' objection to ontological arguments?

• Bertrand Russell

• Gaunilo

• Kant

• Descartes

Kant argued the Descartes' ontological argument failed because 'existence is not a predicate' as the idea of a thing existing adds no info to the concept - what object did he use to illustrate this?

• Watches

• Chairs

• Coins

• Tables

Which of these 2 were Descartes' 2 justifications for believing in the external world?

• He has an idea of extension, but his mind is UNEXTENDED, so he must have got it from outside his mind

• He has an idea of extension, but his mind is EXTENDED, so he must have got it from outside his mind

• He knows a perfect God exists and this being WOULD deceive him

• He knows a perfect God exists and this being WOULD NOT deceive him

Of these answers, which 2 were possibilities as to how Descartes might be wrong that 'God is not a deceiver'?

• God might be as he is in Berkeley's theory of idealism.

• God might NOT be as he is in Berkeley's theory of idealism.

• We already know God allows us to be deceived e.g. illusions, hallucinations etc.

• We already know God DOESN'T allows us to be deceived e.g. illusions, hallucinations etc.