Single Idea 3321

[catalogued under 28. God / B. Proving God / 2. Proofs of Reason / b. Ontological Proof critique]

Full Idea

Kant's famous critique of the Ontological Argument that existence is not a predicate leaves one perplexed as to what it might be, but modern logic says that existence is a quantifier, not a predicate.

Gist of Idea

Modern logic says (with Kant) that existence is not a predicate, because it has been reclassified as a quantifier

Source

comment on Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781]) by José A. Benardete - Metaphysics: the logical approach Ch.10

Book Reference

Benardete,José A.: 'Metaphysics: The Logical Approach' [OUP 1989], p.63


A Reaction

See McGinn's criticism of this in Idea 6062.

Related Idea

Idea 6062 Existence can't be analysed as instantiating a property, as instantiation requires existence [McGinn]