Resolved: The Ontological Argument is Sound

I think you are not understanding the argument: I claimed that the definition, on which the Ontological argument relies, of a Maximally Great Being is a being who has the properties of omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence, and existence in every possible world. Now, based on that definition of a MGB, the argument in terms of the syllogism proves that such a being exists. 1. It is possible that a MGB exists (MGB is the definition I gave) If this premise is true, then the rest follows. The argument proves the definition I gave, so in order for you to deny the existence of such a being, you have got to refute one of the premises. Insofar as you have yet to refute any of them, the conclusion follows with necessity. Your use of definitions is dubious and irrelevant. Even if I grant that your definitions of individual words is applicable, all I have to do is change the phrase "MGB" to God. Then the argument still follows so the semantics game is irrelevant: God is the greatest conceivable being. As the greatest conceivable being He would be omnipotent, omniscient and necessary in every possible world. 1. It is possible that God exists 2. If it is possible that God exists, then God exists in some possible world 3. If God exists in some possible world, then He exists in every possible world ... and the rest follows. So your quibbling about the semantics of the individual words of MGB is irrelevant since the conclusion still follows. The entire argument can be extended because the argument, regardless of your definitions, proves that a being that I HAVE DEFINED exists. So in order to win, you have got to reject a specific premise otherwise there is an indictment to which you may have to be subjected: irrationality. The conclusion follows with necessity if the premises are true, and you have yet to refute one of them. is sorry, you are incorrect. The conclusion of the syllogism, which is the argument, is "Therefore, a MGB (as in, a being that is all powerful, all knowing, all good in every possible world) exists." Like I said, MGB in the syllogism is the same as saying "It is possible that an all knowing, all good, all powerful, and necessary being exists in every possible world." MGB is simply to name a being who has all of those properties. I am not equivocating since I established a definition of an entire concept: maximal greatness. The argument functions under the definition I gave in argument one which you have yet to respond. You cannot simply define a word within a concept. The concept is defined as a whole. Remember, the argument functions independent of individual definitions, the argument (as in the syllogism) proves the MGB that I defined, so your quibbling is irrelevant. My argument is NOT based on a disagreement of the definitions you offered. I am sure that generically, that is what those words mean. But I have defined the concept of a maximally great being as a being than which no greater being can be conceived; the greatest conceivable being. The argument, which you have yet to respond, proves THIS definition, which means your arguments are irrelevant. I cannot stress this enough because the argument functions on the definition I provided. This is common knowledge if you look up the literature on the modal ontological argument. My argument from omniscience goes unrefuted. The fact is you CONCEDED omnipotence as a property of a MGB. You contradict yourself completely by saying that a MGB does not have the properties of knowledge, reason, all-knowingness etc. because that means there are things which a MGB cannot do/experience which contradicts omnipotence. Implication: you are equivocating in terms of omnipotence since this means to have the ability to do all of that which is logically possible, which includes being all-knowing. On omnibenvolence: look, even if such a being does not have to be benevolent, this is absolutely irrelevant. The reason is because the argument proves that a being with this property actually exists. Even if it does not have to have this property, so what? The argument proves that it does with the conclusion. "Therefore, a MGB (as I have defined it) exists." On existence: it is paradoxical that you should make this argument. The obsolete version of the Ontological Argument developed by Anselm of Cantebury in 1033 A.D. made the same mistake by considering existence to be a property. Immanuel Kant did away with this argument by proving that existence is not a predicate or a property. This is absurd. Look it up, this has been sufficiently refuted. Moreover, your claim that existence alone is omnipotent is false and is equivocation. Omnipotent, again, means the ability to do that which is logically possible. But an abstract concept that you offer does not have the ability to think, experience personhood, etc. So you are not using the word properly. I think it is clear that the argument stands. To get away from the definition debate, here is why I win: 1. It is possible that an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent and necessarily-existent (O^3NE) being exists. 2. If its possible that an O^3NE being exists, then an O^3NE exists in some possible world 3. If an O^3NE exists in some possible world, then it exists in every possible world 4. If an O^3NE exists in every possible world, then it exists in the actual world 5. If an O^3NE exists in the actual world, then it exists 6. Therefore, an O^3NE exists in the actual world 7. Therefore, an O^3NE exists You have already conceded that the logic with which the argument functions is sound. So the conclusion follows from the premises and I have successfully circumvented your use of individual definitions to prove that a being, as I have defined it, actually exists. Hence, the Ontological Argument is sound As Bertrand Russell remarked "Great God in boots! The Ontological Argument is sound!"