Ontological Arguments

Ontological arguments are philosophical discussions about the nature of existence, particularly the existence of God. They suggest that if we can conceive of a perfect being—something that possesses all qualities we consider good—then that being must exist, as existing is a greater quality than not existing. This ties into concepts of substance (what something fundamentally is) and essence (what defines its nature). The argument posits that if God’s essence includes existence, then God, as the greatest conceivable being, must exist in reality, not just in our thoughts.