The first proof for God

1
The first proof for Gods existence

• I have an idea of God (an infinite, perfect
  being.
• The cause of an idea must have as much formal
  reality as objectively contained in the idea
• Only God has as much formal reality as is
  contained (represented by) the idea of God
• Therefore God exists.

2

• Meditation 3 shows that God exists
• If God exists (as a perfect, infinite being),
  then it follows that God is not a deceiver
• (being a deceiver is an imperfection)
• Therefore, I can trust my cognitive faculties
• The skeptical problems of Meditation 1 have been
  solved.. BUT there is a problem

3
The argument proves TOO MUCH

• If God is really infinite and perfect, and God
  created me, then it seems I should never be in
  error.
• But I am sometimes in error
• How is this possible?

4
Judgment has two components

• One is the idea that the mind (the understanding)
  has
• The other is an act of the will that affirms or
  denies the idea.
• Since we are not perfect, we do not completely
  grasp all our ideas (cant blame God here)
• But because our will is free, we can affirm or
  deny ideas that are not clearly grasped.

5

• Error is not Gods fault, its our fault because
  we use our freedom incorrectly.
• If we only limited ourselves to those ideas we
  clearly and distinctly grasped we would not
  fall into error.

6
The problem of Evil

• IF God is all good and all powerful, then God
  would not create a world with evil in it.
• But there is evil
• Therefore, There is no God

7
Can free will help defend against the argument
from evil?

• Compare two worlds
• 1. has free creatures and also evil
• 2. Has no free creatures but also no evil
• Which is better?
• The response requires that free will be good or a
  necessary condition for goods, which outweigh the
  negative side effect of evil choices

8
A revised argument from evil

• If God exists, there is no gratuitous evil
• There is gratuitous evil.
• Therefore there is no God.
• IS there gratuitous evil?
• If free will defense works, then there is some
  evil that is not gratuitous.

9
What about natural evil?

• There is some suffering that occurs that is not
  the result of free choices.
• Is such evil unnecessary? If so, then how could
  God allow it?
• If it is necessary, then what makes it necessary.
  What is the good that derives from suffering?