The Existence of God and the Essence of Truth: San Anselmo's Ontological Argument in Light of Heidegger
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Abstract
This article offers a new interpretation of Saint Anselm's ontological argument for the existence of God. The author's purpose is to demonstrate that the importance of this argument goes beyond its suitability or logical validity. In fact, the author suggests that its value can be understood as a result of its crucial position within what Heidegger calls the determination of the essence of truth. The article begins by explaining that, according to Heidegger, the modern conception of adaequatio corresponds to the Copernican Revolution. The author then demonstrates that this allows for an interpretation of Anselm's ontological argument as an argument that opens up the possibility for the Copernican Revolution to occur. The article then questions this interpretation and suggests that there is an inherent ambiguity in Anselm's argument. Finally, the author argues that this ambiguity allows for the argument to be situated within a crucial position in Heidegger's formulation of the determination of the essence of truth. The article concludes by suggesting that the importance of Anselm's argument lies in being a starting point from which a determination of the essence of truth was to be explicitly assumed in a later time period.
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