Three Arguments Regarding the Existence of God
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This 9 page report discusses three specific arguments for the existence of God -- cosmological, ontological, and argument from design. It is more than fair to suggest that since the beginning of time, humanity has argued that God does or does not exist. Having established that God exists, the argument then evolves into how God exists and in what frame of reference and how those varying forms of referencing impact modern thinking and religion. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Filename: BWgod3.wps

A Critique of Paley's 'Watchmaker' Argument
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3 pages in length. A short, yet insightful critique of Paley's 'watchmaker' argument for the existence of God. The writer briefly presents Paley's logic, discusses the merit of his reasoning, and then proceeds to debate the incompleteness of the philosopher's proposition. While we can say that a person created a clock or a watch, we can not necessarily say with the use of such an analogy that anything even remotely similar to a person designed the universe. After all, a person could not have created the material that a rock is made from...A person could not have create the basic natural elements. A watch exists because a person made it but a watch is not the most basic element--(Further reasoning provided in essay). No Bibliography.
Filename: Paleygod.wps

The Ontological Argument of St. Anselm of Canterbury & Gaunilo's Response
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St. Anselm of Canterbury's Ontological Argument, his substantive reasoning for the existence of God, is outlined in his 'Proslogion.' Though the essential components to St. Anselm's argument were utilized by philosophers and theologians in later years, including Immanuel Kant, it was not without criticism. Gaunilo, a monk of the abbey of Mamoutier, did not accept the premises presented by St. Anselm, and Gaunilo wrote a his retort to St. Anselm's suppositions entitled 'A Reply on Behalf of the Fool.' This 6 page paper presents an overview of the arguments of St. Anselm and then reflects upon the significance of the challenge presented by Gaunilo. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: Stanselm.wps