RE: The modal ontological argument - without modal logic proves atheism
February 14, 2014 at 10:21 am
Brilliant parody. It really underscores the can of worms you open up with ontological spurious logic and how much more sound it is to simply say "we don't know."
Really, I don't understand why the Ontological Argument was ever taken seriously. Just because you can imagine something to exist, it can possibly exist, and it couldn't have our defined traits if it didn't exist doesn't mean it really exists outside of our minds. To underscore the problem of this spurious logic, try to imagine its practical application:
***Walks into a bank***
"Hi, I'd like to withdraw one million dollars from my checking account."
"Sir, you don't even have an checking account at this bank."
"Well, is it possible I could have an account at this bank?"
"Um, sure, but I don't see..."
"And is it possible that a checking account could have 1 million dollars in it?"
"Well, theoretically, but..."
"And an account with one million dollars would have a million dollars in it, right?"
"Sure but..."
"And if I didn't have an account at this bank, it couldn't have 1 million dollars in it?"
"Exactly, and..."
"So we can imagine that I have a checking account with one million dollars at this bank, such a thing could exist and if it didn't exist, it wouldn't have 1 million dollars in it. So my account with 1 million dollars in it MUST exist."
"Wait! What?"
"So I'd like to withdraw my million dollars, please."
***Get thrown out of the bank***
Really, I don't understand why the Ontological Argument was ever taken seriously. Just because you can imagine something to exist, it can possibly exist, and it couldn't have our defined traits if it didn't exist doesn't mean it really exists outside of our minds. To underscore the problem of this spurious logic, try to imagine its practical application:
***Walks into a bank***
"Hi, I'd like to withdraw one million dollars from my checking account."
"Sir, you don't even have an checking account at this bank."
"Well, is it possible I could have an account at this bank?"
"Um, sure, but I don't see..."
"And is it possible that a checking account could have 1 million dollars in it?"
"Well, theoretically, but..."
"And an account with one million dollars would have a million dollars in it, right?"
"Sure but..."
"And if I didn't have an account at this bank, it couldn't have 1 million dollars in it?"
"Exactly, and..."
"So we can imagine that I have a checking account with one million dollars at this bank, such a thing could exist and if it didn't exist, it wouldn't have 1 million dollars in it. So my account with 1 million dollars in it MUST exist."
"Wait! What?"
"So I'd like to withdraw my million dollars, please."
***Get thrown out of the bank***
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
