GAUNILO OF MARMOUTIERS (11th CENTURY)
“An island lies near the equator
Than which there could not be one greater.
It’s impossible, mind,
This lost isle to find,
Unless you’re the best navigator.”
Note: Accent on the third syllable of "navigator" please....I know, I know...So sue me...
Further Note: Anselm of Canterbury (see next limerick) and Gaunilo of Marmoutiers engaged in a spirited debate about Anselm’s ontological proof of God’s existence in the Proslogium. Anselm had argued that the being greater than which cannot be conceived (call it “G”) cannot be conceived not to exist. For suppose that G can be conceived not to exist. And notice that it is possible to conceive of something that cannot be conceived not to exist, something that is greater than G (because any being that can’t be conceived not to exist is greater than any being that can be conceived not to exist). But then G can’t be the being greater than which cannot be conceived. Contradiction. Anselm concludes that the being greater than which cannot be conceived (namely, God) cannot be conceived not to exist. In reply, Gaunilo runs a very similar argument with a lost island, instead of God. The argument purports to show, using similar reasoning, that a lost island greater than which cannot be conceived cannot be conceived not to exist. This being an absurd conclusion, Gaunilo concludes that Anselm’s argument must be unsound. [Did you follow all of this? In that case, you are (a) God or (b) a thinker greater than whom cannot be conceived. So, good for you. Whether (a) or (b) is the right answer, we want you to join our Ph.D. program in philosophy at UCSD. You definitely have what it takes!]
Further Note: Anselm of Canterbury (see next limerick) and Gaunilo of Marmoutiers engaged in a spirited debate about Anselm’s ontological proof of God’s existence in the Proslogium. Anselm had argued that the being greater than which cannot be conceived (call it “G”) cannot be conceived not to exist. For suppose that G can be conceived not to exist. And notice that it is possible to conceive of something that cannot be conceived not to exist, something that is greater than G (because any being that can’t be conceived not to exist is greater than any being that can be conceived not to exist). But then G can’t be the being greater than which cannot be conceived. Contradiction. Anselm concludes that the being greater than which cannot be conceived (namely, God) cannot be conceived not to exist. In reply, Gaunilo runs a very similar argument with a lost island, instead of God. The argument purports to show, using similar reasoning, that a lost island greater than which cannot be conceived cannot be conceived not to exist. This being an absurd conclusion, Gaunilo concludes that Anselm’s argument must be unsound. [Did you follow all of this? In that case, you are (a) God or (b) a thinker greater than whom cannot be conceived. So, good for you. Whether (a) or (b) is the right answer, we want you to join our Ph.D. program in philosophy at UCSD. You definitely have what it takes!]
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