I have been mulling over the dining table all day. I wanted to ensure that everything was right. I glanced at the table once again, trying to decide if I should sit St. Anselm of Canterbury and Gaunilo of Marmoutier next to each other. It wasn’t that I was worried about conflicting views, actually, it was quite the contrary, and I didn’t want them to be able to double team the other guests. Finally, I decided that just because they have essentially the same opinions, I wouldn’t separate them. The place cards had been set and I made up my mind that I would do no more rearranging. I bent over the table in my purple dress and lit the crimson-colored candles that were extending upward out of the floral arrangement. The four guests should be present …show more content…
Looking dashing as always. Here you go, I brought some wine.
Anusha : Good evening, Gaunilo. Good to see you after a long time and thank you for the wine. Have a seat. The table is set. The others should be arriving here any minute.
Muffled noises from the door are heard. As I reach for the doorknob, Anselm, Aquinas and Kant enter the room.
Aquinas : Whatever you are trying to say, Anselm, doesn’t prove His existence. It’s a priori argument. I say that we have to search for a posteriori evidence instead. In that way, it can be proved that God does exist.
Kant : In my opinion, I think… (gets interrupted)
Anusha : Hello everyone! Delighted to meet all of you together. Sorry to interrupt, but could we have this conversation over dinner? The food is ready.
Anselm : Oh, we’re sorry. We got carried away. Let’s go to the dinner table then.
Everyone sits at the dining table and greet each other. Bruschetta was served as the
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Unfortunately, I don’t accept Anselm’s argument. His argument only applies to those who define the notion of God in the same way, taking into consideration that different people have different concepts of God. Additionally, even if everyone does share the same concept of God, it doesn’t, therefore follow that he understands what the word signifies exists actually, but only that it exists mentally.
Kant : Then, what do you suggest, Aquinas? When we were discussing earlier, you mentioned evidence. Are you saying that only by proof of existence, we can assume that God exists?
Aquinas : Not quite what I had in mind, Kant. I was trying to propose that all rational knowledge can only be gained through sensory experience to prove His existence. My first argument would be from motion. We currently live in a world in which things are moving. Movement is caused by the movers. Everything that is moving must have been set into motion by something else that was moving. Something must have started the motion in the first place.
Gaunilo : This brings us to the fact that everything in motion was put in motion by something else. There can’t be an infinite regress of movers. Thereby, there must be a first mover, itself unmoved, and that is God.