Gregor Alfonsin C. Pondoyo January 10, 2009

BSN IV NB Mr. i!"ard Jeffrey #. $!a%&o

A P"iloso&"i!al efle!'ion on (es!ar'es)s Argu%en' of '"e *+is'en!e of God

(es!ar'es %ade i' !lear '"a' essen!e !anno' e se&ara'ed fro% e+is'en!e and I

find i' -ery 'rue ased es&e!ially on %y e+&erien!e. "en I loo/ a' %yself in '"e %irror, I

&onder "a' %a/es %e as I a%. I !i'ed so%e of %y !"ara!'eris'i!s u' in '"e end i' 'urned

ou' '"a' no one !"ara!'er %a/es %e as I a%. My essen!e is no' %y eing a le 'o 'al/ '"is

ay or a!' li/e '"a'. I's no' e!ause I "a-e ' o legs and I al/ u&rig"' '"a' defines %e of

eing %e. I' is '"e 'o'ali'y of %y eing '"a' %a/es %e as I a% '"e !o% ina'ion of all '"a' I

"a-e as a !"ara!'er, as a "u%an eing, as a &erson, and as eing "ere 'y&ing and as

eing &erfe!'ly %e i'"ou' anyone e+a!'ly in '"e orld or '"e 'i%es 'o !o%e and a' '"is -ery

%o%en' e+is'ing.

3es, (es!ar'es is &ro a ly !orre!' '"a' a eing "i!" "e !on!ei-ed as "a-ing

&erfe!'ion s"ould na'urally e+is' for i' 'o e really &erfe!'. Be!ause '"e essen!e of '"e idea

of a eing '"a' is all &o erful ne!essarily i%&lies e+is'en!e '"en i' %ig"' e safe for %e no

'o agree '"a' God really %us' e+is'.

(es!ar'es)s argu%en' is !o%&elling for %e. "en I read a ou' Ansel%)s I as

s/e&'i!al e!ause I '"oug"' '"a' a''ri u'ing life and !"ara!'er on an idea and '"en &ro-ing i'

'o e 'rue is no' fair. I' as a !ir!ular argu%en' li/e '"is one 4 as "a' our &rofessor said.

Bu' "a' really is a !ir!ular argu%en' and "a' %a/es (es!ar'es)s argu%en' !ir!ular

in'rigues %e %os' e!ause in '"e firs' &la!e, I don)' /no if i' is -alid for %e 'o say '"a'

Ansel% and (es!ar'es as a''ri u'ing life and !"ara!'er 'o '"is idea of God e!ause '"is

Idea ne!essarily i%&lies life and !"ara!'er in i'self. 5"is Idea ne!essarily i%&lies &erfe!'ion

and &erfe!'ion ne!essarily i%&lies e+is'en!e for i' 'o e fully reali6ed. So i' is a reali'y

"e'"er I or e a!!e&' i' or no'. "e'"er I re7e!' '"e e+is'en!e of God, 8e s'ill e+is's

e!ause 8e is a reali'y. 8e is '"e su% of all &erfe!'ion and !o%&ared 'o 8i% I a% 7us' as a

dus' and 8is grandeur is of unli%i'ed oundary '"a' in '"e &ri-a!y of %y %ind I !an' "el&

u' gras& 7us' a li''le of "a' 8e 'ruly is.

I !a%e u& 'o a &ro le% on %y unders'anding of '"is eing. I's 7us' '"a', if '"is

God is a &erfe!' eing and is all &o erful '"en "y didn)' 8e %ade us li-e in a !ondi'ion

"ere e !an a' leas' !o%&re"end so%e of 8is grea'ness. If 8e !an do e-ery'"ing

e!ause 8e is &o erful '"en "y !an)' 8e %a/e us see 8i% des&i'e of our eing less

&erfe!' 5"erefore, I find '"is Idea of eing all &o erful !on'radi!'ory 'o "a' is in a!'uali'y

no '"a' e only /no 8i% '"roug" '"e %ind and no' '"roug" '"e senses y "i!" e &u'

all '"ings and !on!lude u&on '"eir -ery e+is'en!e. "a' is God if 8e !an)' do '"is si%&le

'"ing

5"e '"oug"' surged u&on %e on!e again '"a' "a' if I a% 7us' fooling %yself.

Be!ause "a' if '"e idea '"a' God as a &o erful eing and is '"e su% of all &erfe!'ion is in

%y %ind e!ause in '"e firs' &la!e I !on7ured i' %yself ou' of '"e &erfe!'ion and eau'y

around %e, ou' of '"e %any %ys'eries in '"is orld in!luding '"e eginning of '"e uni-erse

i'self, and ou' of %y fear '"a' af'er dea'", '"ere ould only no'"ingness. I dee&ly fear

no'"ingness and '"a' %ay e '"is fear %ade %e %a/e u& '"is God in %y %ind so '"a' I !an

e !o%for'ed of '"e orries I "a-e inside %e.

(es&i'e of all %y dou 's i' is &ro a le '"a' '"e %ind of '"is e-er &erfe!' Being

"as so%e reasons "y 8e allo s us 'o /no a li''le of 8i%self only in reason and in reason

%os'ly. 5"a' e-en if I an' 'o a!!e&' '"is idea of God e!ause of o'"er '"ings :li/e %y fear

of no'"ingness; or e!ause I find i' reasona le 'o, '"is God in so far as '"e idea i%&lies

e+is' inde&enden'ly fro% %y is"es or o'"er '"ings e!ause in i'self, '"is God is &erfe!' 7us'

as "a' (es!ar'es ro'e.