Have you ever wondered how philosophers have attempted to prove the existence of God?
One of the most famous attempts was made by a philosopher who lived in the 17th century. He was a Frenchman who is widely regarded as the father of modern philosophy.
In his work, he put forth two proofs for the existence of God, both of which relied on reason alone. His arguments were so compelling that they continue to be studied and debated to this day.
In this article, we will explore how this philosopher proved the existence of God and examine the logic behind his arguments.
So, let’s dive in and discover how Descartes proved the existence of God!
How Did Descartes Prove The Existence Of God
Descartes’ starting point was the recognition that he had innate ideas. He believed that these ideas were demonstrable, yet had not been experienced. From this, he developed two umbrella categories of proof for the existence of God.
The first proof relied on the idea that by evidence, he was an imperfect being who had an objective reality including the notion that perfection exists. Therefore, he had a distinct idea of a perfect being (God, for example). Descartes realized that he was less formally real than the objective reality of perfection and therefore there had to be a perfect being existing formally from whom his innate idea of a perfect being derives. This perfect being could have created the ideas of all substances, but not the one of God.
The second proof questioned who it was that kept him – having an idea of a perfect being – in existence. Descartes proved that he would owe it to himself, if he were his own existence maker, to have given himself all sorts of perfections. The very fact that he was not perfect meant he would not bear his own existence. Similarly, his parents, who were also imperfect beings, could not be the cause of his existence since they could not have created the idea of perfection within him. That left only a perfect being, God, that would have had to exist to create and be constantly recreating him.
Descartes’ proofs relied on the belief that by existing and being born an imperfect being (but with a soul or spirit), one must accept that something of more formal reality than ourselves must have created us. Essentially, because we exist and are able to think ideas, something must have created us.
Introduction To Descartes And His Work
René Descartes is a philosopher often referred to as the “Father of Modern Philosophy.” He is known for breaking away from the traditional Scholastic-Aristotelian philosophy of his time and promoting the new, mechanistic sciences. Descartes’ fundamental break with Scholastic philosophy was twofold: he thought their method was prone to doubt due to their reliance on sensation as the source of all knowledge, and he wanted to replace their final causal model of scientific explanation with a more modern, mechanistic model.
To address these issues, Descartes developed his method of doubt, which involved considering false any belief that falls prey to even the slightest doubt. This “hyperbolic doubt” served to clear the way for an unprejudiced search for truth. From here, Descartes sought to find something that lies beyond all doubt and eventually discovered that “I exist” is impossible to doubt and is therefore absolutely certain. This led him to demonstrate God’s existence and that God cannot be a deceiver, providing an epistemological foundation for his beliefs.
Descartes rebuilt his system of previously dubious beliefs on this absolutely certain foundation, including the existence of a world of bodies external to the mind, the dualistic distinction of the immaterial mind from the body, and his mechanistic model of physics based on clear and distinct ideas of geometry. He also applied this mechanistic framework to plant, animal, and human bodies, sensation, and the passions, culminating in a moral system based on the notion of “generosity.”
The First Proof: The Ontological Argument
The first proof for the existence of God that Descartes developed was the ontological argument. This argument is both fascinating and poorly understood, as it attempts to prove God’s existence from simple but powerful premises. Descartes’ argument is grounded in two central tenets of his philosophy – the theory of innate ideas and the doctrine of clear and distinct perception. He purports to rely not on an arbitrary definition of God but rather on an innate idea whose content is “given”.
Descartes’ version of the ontological argument is extremely simple. God’s existence is inferred directly from the fact that necessary existence is contained in the clear and distinct idea of a supremely perfect being. Descartes often compares the ontological argument to a geometric demonstration, arguing that necessary existence cannot be excluded from the idea of God anymore than the fact that its angles equal two right angles, for example, can be excluded from the idea of a triangle. The analogy underscores once again the argument’s supreme simplicity.
In casting the argument in terms of the essence or nature of God, Descartes is implicitly relying on a traditional medieval distinction between a thing’s essence and its existence. According to this tradition, one can determine what something is (i.e. its essence), independently of knowing whether it exists. This distinction appears useful to Descartes’ aims because it allows him to specify God’s essence without begging the question of his existence.
Descartes’ ontological argument has produced several misreadings, exacerbated in part by his tendency to formulate it in different ways. The main statement of the argument appears in the Fifth Meditation, but he repeats it in a few other central texts including the Principles of Philosophy. He also defends it in the First, Second, and Fifth Replies against scathing objections by some of the leading intellectuals of his day.
Although Descartes was not the first philosopher to formulate an ontological argument, his version differs from Anselm’s in important ways. Anselm’s version is thought to proceed from the meaning of the word “God”, while Descartes’ argument is grounded in his own philosophical tenets. Despite similarities, Descartes’ version of the argument attempts to block traditional objections and relies on the belief that by existing and being able to think ideas, something must have created us.
The Second Proof: The Cosmological Argument
Using this same logic, Descartes argued that since he cannot imagine God except as existing, just like he cannot imagine a mountain without a valley, God’s existence becomes necessary. He explained how he could imagine a god that doesn’t exist, but that would then not make him a God, as that imaginary God would simply be a perfect being without supreme perfection. In essence, Descartes argued that existence is superior to non-existence, and since God is a perfect being, God must exist.
Descartes believed that his mind produced true answers about the world, and thus, he must believe that the concept of God is not only real but necessary. He believed that certainty comes from the mind and not from the senses. Therefore, he looked for answers from his own mind and not from his senses, as his mind was what he could be certain of.
Criticisms And Debates Surrounding Descartes’ Proofs
Despite the apparent simplicity and elegance of Descartes’ proofs for the existence of God, they have been subject to criticism and debate. One of the main criticisms of Descartes’ ontological argument is that it relies on the assumption that existence is a predicate, or a property that can be attributed to things. This assumption has been challenged by philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, who argued that existence is not a property that can be added to an object’s concept. Therefore, the argument fails to prove God’s existence as it relies on a faulty premise.
Another criticism of Descartes’ proofs is that they rely on circular reasoning. In his second proof, for example, Descartes argues that he owes his existence to a perfect being (God), but then assumes that this perfect being exists without providing any further proof. This circularity has been pointed out by philosophers such as Bertrand Russell, who argued that the argument is essentially begging the question.
Moreover, some critics have argued that Descartes’ proofs rely on problematic assumptions about the nature of innate ideas and clear and distinct perception. For example, John Locke argued that there are no innate ideas and that all knowledge comes from experience. Similarly, some philosophers have questioned whether clear and distinct perception is a reliable criterion for truth, as it may be subject to error and deception.
Finally, Descartes’ proofs have been criticized for their theological implications. Some theologians have argued that the proofs reduce God to a mere concept or idea, rather than a living and active being. Others have argued that the proofs fail to capture the complexity and mystery of God’s nature, reducing him to a mere logical construct.
The Significance Of Descartes’ Proofs In Philosophy Today
Descartes’ proofs for the existence of God are significant in philosophy today because they provide a foundation for rationalistic epistemology. His arguments rely on the belief that innate ideas can be demonstrated and that objective reality exists. This idea of objective reality is essential for modern philosophy, particularly in the fields of metaphysics and epistemology.
Furthermore, Descartes’ proofs demonstrate the importance of reason and logic in philosophical inquiry. His arguments are based on clear and distinct ideas, which he believed were self-evident and could not be doubted. This emphasis on reason and logic has influenced modern philosophy, particularly in the fields of analytic philosophy and logic.
Finally, Descartes’ proofs have sparked ongoing debates about the nature of God and the relationship between faith and reason. While some philosophers argue that his proofs are flawed or insufficient, others continue to use them as a basis for their philosophical inquiries.
Conclusion: Evaluating Descartes’ Legacy In Philosophy
Descartes’ legacy in philosophy is significant due to his contributions in the fields of mathematics, natural philosophy, and metaphysics. His proofs for the existence of God remain a topic of debate and discussion in philosophy today. Descartes’ method of doubt, which he used to arrive at his conclusions, also continues to be studied and applied in various fields. However, some critics argue that Descartes’ reliance on innate ideas and his dualistic view of mind and body have been challenged by modern philosophy and scientific discoveries. Nonetheless, Descartes’ impact on philosophy cannot be denied as he paved the way for future thinkers to explore the nature of reality and human existence.
