Does God Exist

To answer the question, 'Does God Exist?', a number of studies, articles, and research papers have been written. Two arguments that best attempt to prove existence of God are the ontological argument by St. Anselm, and the cosmological argument by St. Thomas Aquinas. The second out of the five arguments provided in the cosmological argument is based on experience and efficient cause. The efficient cause makes something happen, i.e.. Cause and effect, and this are the premises for his argument. Aquinas argues that nothing in this world can originate on its own, and must have a first cause (God) to create an intermediate cause, to create an ultimate cause and effect. Infinity makes it impossible to have a first efficient cause, but if there is no first cause, there would be no intermediate cause (universe), and we (nature) would not exist. In the ontological argument, St Anselm provides an argument that is based on logic. In order to understand his argument you must first admit that, if there is a God, he is that than which nothing greater can be conceived. This is the premise for his argument. Without this premises his argument would fail. It must be agreed to, because it is a true statement. You do not have to believe in God in order to agree to these Premises. In agreeing to these first premises, St Anselm forces you to admit that God does exist in reality because his premises support his conclusion. St. Anselm's Theory is that if God is that which nothing greater can be conceived, the idea of God must exist, if only in the mind. To exist in reality is greater than existing in the mind (idea). Therefore God, being that which nothing greater can be conceived must exist in reality. All his premises support his conclusion, creating a valid and sound argument proving that God must exist.

Our writers may compose a custom essay arguing on the existence of God. Many still argue that neither one of these arguments prove Gods existence, because it is impossible for our reason to accept them. In Soren Kierkegaards argument, "Faith, not Logic is The Basis of Belief, he argues that it is impossible to prove Gods existence because it is beyond our reason as human beings to do so. Kierkegaard classifies the word God under the word unknown. It is impossible for reason to know the unknown, so it is impossible to know, or prove God exists. Kierkegaard also claims that reason on it's own does not attempt to prove God exists, he claims that it would be foolish to do so. It would be foolish to do so because reason is from existence, not towards it. Therefore if God does not exist, it would be impossible to prove he does, and if God does exist, because of our worldly limitations, it would be impossible to justify it as truth. Kierkegaard claims that the only way to argue Gods existence would be to assume Gods existence before creating the argument. In having faith, you have knowledge on what God should be like (beliefs) in order to fill the Gap of the unknown with ideas about God. Having Faith would make reason understand God. Doubt exists in the believer and the non-believer because it is beyond our reason to determine the truth of God's existence.