Mathematician Kurt Gödel formalized an ontological proof of God's existence

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Parent debateThis argument is used in the debate Does God exist?.
Argument forThis argument is a justification of God's existence is contained in his concept.
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“The proof is based on the following definitions and axioms:

  • Definition 1: x is divine (a property noted as G(x)) if and only if x contains as essential properties all properties that are positive and only these.
  • Definition 2: A is an essence of x if and only if, for each property B, if x contains B, then A implies B.
  • Definition 3: x necessarily exists if and only if each essence of x is necessarily exemplified.
  • Axiom 1: Any property strictly implied by a positive property is positive.
  • Axiom 2: A property is positive if and only if its negation is not positive.
  • Axiom 3: The property of being divine is positive.
  • Axiom 4: If a property is positive, then it is necessarily positive.
  • Axiom 5: Necessary existence is positive.

From these and the axioms of modal logic, we deduce, in order:

  • Theorem 1: If a property is positive, then it is possibly exemplified.
  • Theorem 2: The property of being divine is possibly exemplified.
  • Theorem 3: If x is divine, then the property of being divine is an essence of x.
  • Theorem 4: The property of being divine is necessarily exemplified.”
Author not entered, “Gödel's ontological proof”, Wikipedia.

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