You Tube Theology

Dean Zimmerman and Alvin Plantinga discuss the ontological argument for the existence of God. After Kant's, and others', critiques of Anselm, most philosophers regarded the ontological argument as a failed argument for theism--perhaps useful for theology, but not useful for demonstrating that God exists. However, in the 20th Century, Alvin Plantinga and others reworked the argument by incorporating modal logic. Plantinga's version of the argument, while often confusing to non-philosophers, is relatively uncontroversial among philosophers today in terms of its logic and conclusion. By admitting the possibility of God, a standard theorem of modal logic leads to the conclusion that God exists. Atheists are quick to respond by denying the possibility of God in order to side-step the argument's conclusion. But is it rational to make such a bold claim? That God cannot possibly exist?