Anselm (and Gaunilo)
-According to Gaunilo's Lost Island case,if one purports to think of the greatest conceivable island,along the lines of Anselm's ontological argument,yet the island does not exist,then it cannot be the greatest conceivable island.Why is this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gaunilo argues that existence is a necessary characteristic of greatness. To say that something is the greatest conceivable island, yet it does not exist, would be contradictory. This is because any existent island would be greater than an imaginary one. Therefore, the greatest conceivable island must necessarily exist in reality. Option B is incorrect as it is a general statement about existence and does not specifically address the argument put forth by Gaunilo. Option C is also incorrect as one can conceive of an imaginary island without its actual existence being assumed; the argument revolves around the concept of the island's greatness rather than its mere conception. Option D is incorrect as only option A provides a sufficient explanation.

Anselm (And Gaunilo) -According to Gaunilo's Lost Island Case,if One Purports to Think