On the logical structure of the ontological argument

pp. 109-121

in: Richard M. Martin, Whitehead's categoreal scheme and other papers, Berlin, Springer, 1974

Abstract

The ontological argument of Saint Anselm, one of the most famous in the entire history of philosophy, has fascinated men's minds for centuries. And yet, as Hartshorne¹ makes abundantly clear, much of its subtlety has been missed by some of the keenest commentators. Although it has been discussed again and again, little work seems to have been done, even up to the moment, in probing at all deeply the logical forms needed for an exact statement.² Part of this is due no doubt to the subtlety of the argument itself, but part of it is due to the fact that the key ideas involved are not of the kind that easily lend themselves to being handled within the standard kinds of logic.