Anselm
Medieval theologian and philosopher (1033–1109) who formulated the Ontological Argument for God's existence. Anselm defined God as 'that than which nothing greater can be conceived' and argued this definition entails God's necessary existence. He also contributed to medieval theology and philosophy of language.
Real World
Anselm wrote the Proslogion around 1078 while serving as Archbishop of Canterbury — the same cathedral where Thomas Becket was later murdered — making his argument one of the most enduring philosophical contributions from medieval England.
Exam Focus
Specify that Anselm's argument is a priori and deductive — this distinguishes it from the cosmological argument's a posteriori approach.
How well did you know this?