The Existence of God †A Very Brief History :: Analysis, Descartes, Leibniz

The subsequent essay will cover a brief history on the existence of God from Renà © Descartes through Immanuel Kant. First, section (1), examines Descartes’ ontological argument for the existence of God. Following this, in (2), I consider G.W. Leibniz’s view which seeks to rectify some of Descartes shortcomings. Descartes and Leibniz believed that the existence of God could be proved via reason. The remainder of the essay then examines two additional philosophers, David Hume in section (4) and Immanuel Kant in (5), who content that God’s existence cannot be rationally proved. (1) Being a devout Catholic, Descartes, undeniably believed in God. He makes this clear in the beginning of Meditations on First Philosophy. He writes that we must â€Å"believe in God’s existence because it is taught in the Holy Scriptures, and, conversely, that we must believe in the Holy Scriptures because they have come from God† (Descartes, 1). Nonetheless, in his search for absolute certainty, Descartes casts doubt on everything, including religion. In the Third Meditation, Descartes considers the existence of God, conceding that, â€Å"I do not yet sufficiently know if there is even a God† (25). Succinctly, Descartes does not know if God exists with any certainty. He then deliberates â€Å"whether there is a God† (25). However, even though he questions God’s existence, Descartes still maintains an innate idea of a substance that is an â€Å"infinite, independent, supremely intelligent and supremely powerful† perfect being who create d everything (30). After deliberating, he concludes that because of his innate idea of God, (which was not conjured by the mind or drawn from the senses), it must therefore be God who endowed him with the idea. Moreover, because Descartes exists and has an idea of God, he concludes that God must also exist. He explicitly states this in the following: â€Å"I have no choice but to conclude that the mere fact of my existing is and of there being in me an idea of a most perfect being, that is God, demonstrates most evidently that God too exists† (34). Then, in the Fifth Meditation, Descartes claims to provide a proof for the existence of God. The proof operates on the idea of a triangle which has â€Å"a certain determinate nature, essence, or form which is unchangeable and eternal† (43). Descartes continues his proof stating that the properties of a triangle are not fabricated by or dependent on his mind. The Existence of God – A Very Brief History :: Analysis, Descartes, Leibniz The subsequent essay will cover a brief history on the existence of God from Renà © Descartes through Immanuel Kant. First, section (1), examines Descartes’ ontological argument for the existence of God. Following this, in (2), I consider G.W. Leibniz’s view which seeks to rectify some of Descartes shortcomings. Descartes and Leibniz believed that the existence of God could be proved via reason. The remainder of the essay then examines two additional philosophers, David Hume in section (4) and Immanuel Kant in (5), who content that God’s existence cannot be rationally proved. (1) Being a devout Catholic, Descartes, undeniably believed in God. He makes this clear in the beginning of Meditations on First Philosophy. He writes that we must â€Å"believe in God’s existence because it is taught in the Holy Scriptures, and, conversely, that we must believe in the Holy Scriptures because they have come from God† (Descartes, 1). Nonetheless, in his search for absolute certainty, Descartes casts doubt on everything, including religion. In the Third Meditation, Descartes considers the existence of God, conceding that, â€Å"I do not yet sufficiently know if there is even a God† (25). Succinctly, Descartes does not know if God exists with any certainty. He then deliberates â€Å"whether there is a God† (25). However, even though he questions God’s existence, Descartes still maintains an innate idea of a substance that is an â€Å"infinite, independent, supremely intelligent and supremely powerful† perfect being who create d everything (30). After deliberating, he concludes that because of his innate idea of God, (which was not conjured by the mind or drawn from the senses), it must therefore be God who endowed him with the idea. Moreover, because Descartes exists and has an idea of God, he concludes that God must also exist. He explicitly states this in the following: â€Å"I have no choice but to conclude that the mere fact of my existing is and of there being in me an idea of a most perfect being, that is God, demonstrates most evidently that God too exists† (34). Then, in the Fifth Meditation, Descartes claims to provide a proof for the existence of God. The proof operates on the idea of a triangle which has â€Å"a certain determinate nature, essence, or form which is unchangeable and eternal† (43). Descartes continues his proof stating that the properties of a triangle are not fabricated by or dependent on his mind.