OCR A Level Religious Studies - How Do We Know Ep 3 - Ontological Argument

Faith and Focus Podcast · Mar 5, 2026 · 20m

In this episode of the Faith and Focus Podcast, we explore one of the most famous and controversial arguments in the history of philosophy: the Ontological Argument.

Starting with St Anselm, we unpack the idea that God is “that than which nothing greater can be conceived.” If God is the greatest possible being, Anselm argues, then God must exist not only in the mind but in reality — because existing in reality is greater than existing only as an idea.

But does this actually work?

We examine key developments and challenges to the argument, including:

• Gaunilo’s Perfect Island objection

•…