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Full Idea
Clearly that than which a greater cannot be thought cannot exist in the understanding alone. For it it is actually in the understanding alone, it can be thought of as existing also in reality, and this is greater.
Gist of Idea
If that than which a greater cannot be thought actually exists, that is greater than the mere idea
Source
Anselm (Proslogion [1090], Ch 2)
Book Ref
'The Existence of God', ed/tr. Hick,John [Macmillan 1964], p.26
A Reaction
The suppressed premise is 'something actually existing is greater than the mere conception of it'. As it stands this is wrong. I can imagine a supreme evil. But see Idea 21243.
Related Ideas
Idea 21243 An existing thing is even greater if its non-existence is inconceivable [Anselm]
Idea 21241 Even the fool can hold 'a being than which none greater exists' in his understanding [Anselm]
| 4748 | Anselm of Canterbury identified truth with God [Anselm, by Engel] |
| 1420 | Anselm's first proof fails because existence isn't a real predicate, so it can't be a perfection [Malcolm on Anselm] |
| 21241 | Even the fool can hold 'a being than which none greater exists' in his understanding [Anselm] |
| 21242 | If that than which a greater cannot be thought actually exists, that is greater than the mere idea [Anselm] |
| 1421 | A perfection must be independent and unlimited, and the necessary existence of Anselm's second proof gives this [Malcolm on Anselm] |
| 21244 | Conceiving a greater being than God leads to absurdity [Anselm] |
| 21243 | An existing thing is even greater if its non-existence is inconceivable [Anselm] |
| 21245 | The word 'God' can be denied, but understanding shows God must exist [Anselm] |
| 21246 | Guanilo says a supremely fertile island must exist, just because we can conceive it [Anselm] |
| 21247 | Nonexistence is impossible for the greatest thinkable thing, which has no beginning or end [Anselm] |