--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anselm must have been out of his mind to…" description: "\"“Anselm must have been out of his mind to think that the question ‘Does God exist?’ is a question about a predicate. His ontological argument, and Desc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/jim-riva-95941_big-bang_anselm-must-have-been-out-of-his-mind-to_3154984.jpg" --- # Anselm must have been out of his mind to think that the… ![“Anselm must have been out of his mind to think that the question ‘Does God exist?’ is a question about a predicate. His ontological argument, and Descartes’ ontological argument, and all of the other ontological arguments are worthless except for playing linguistic games. Let’s not play linguistic…” quote by Jim Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/jim-riva-95941_big-bang_anselm-must-have-been-out-of-his-mind-to_3154984.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/jim-riva-95941_big-bang_anselm-must-have-been-out-of-his-mind-to_3154984.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/jim-riva-95941_big-bang_anselm-must-have-been-out-of-his-mind-to_3154984.jpg) > ““Anselm must have been out of his mind to think that the question ‘Does God exist?’ is a question about a predicate. His ontological argument, and Descartes’ ontological argument, and all of the other ontological arguments are worthless except for playing linguistic games. Let’s not play linguistic games. Let’s be reasonable. Let’s look to science. There was no need for Aquinas to make four cosmological arguments if he had one good one, which he didn’t. As for the teleological argument, listen. Order emerged from the chaos that followed the Big Bang because gravitational tug of wars gradually balanced, and Earth’s millions of animal and plant species seem to be perfectly designed for their environments because evolution occurred via mutation and natural selection. So the argument that there must exist a supreme orderer or a supreme designer is invalid.”” Jim Riva ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ontological and teleological arguments fail without empirical support; science explains order and life better. **In simple terms:** Philosophical arguments lack evidence; science offers explanations. Key Takeaway Prioritize scientific reasoning over speculative theology. Themes science philosophy religion arguments Mood critical inquisitive Type Big bang:1 Natural selection:1 Psychology:0 Ontological Argument:1 Teleological Argument:1 Ontological Arguments:1 Cosmological Arguments:1 Argument Descartes:0 When to use this quote - debates on existence - education - critical thinking Key Concepts ontology teleology cosmology evolutionary biology Questions to Reflect On - What role should philosophy play in modern discourse? - How can science and belief coexist? A Different Perspective Philosophical discourse still holds cultural value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-bang/) [Natural selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-selection/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“That which struck the present writer most forcibly on his first perusal of the 'Origin of Species' was the conviction that Teleology, as commonly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/that-which-struck-the-present-writer-most-forcibly-on-his-first/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [“If I ask myself how to judge that this question is more urgent than that, I reply that one judges by the actions it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/if-i-ask-myself-how-to-judge-that-this-question-is-more-urgent-than/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“I have never seen anyone die for the ontological argument.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-have-never-seen-anyone-die-for-the-ontological-argument/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We can formulate Plantinga’s version of the ontological argument as follows: 1) It is possible that a maximally great being exists. 2) If it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/we-can-formulate-plantinga-s-version-of-the-ontological-argument-as/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [Great God in Boots! – the ontological argument is sound!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/great-god-in-boots-the-ontological-argument-is-sound/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“The Ontological Argument shows us that in order for God to be maximally great, He must be morally perfect. Being all loving is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/the-ontological-argument-shows-us-that-in-order-for-god-to-be/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [Scientists estimate the universe unfolded from its state of infinite destiny\* - a moment commonly referred to as "the big bang" - approximately 1.3-2…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/scientists-estimate-the-universe-unfolded-from-its-state-of-infinite/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [God created... light anddark, heaven and hell-science claims the same thing as religion, that the Big Bang createdeverything in the universe with an opposite."Including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/god-created-light-anddark-heaven-and-hell-science-claims-the-same/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [For example, if the big bang had been one-part-in-a billion more powerful, it would have rushed out too fast for the galaxies to form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lanza/for-example-if-the-big-bang-had-been-one-part-in-a-billion-more/) [Robert Lanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lanza/) > [All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell. It's lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-broun/all-that-stuff-i-was-taught-about-evolution-embryology-big-bang/) [Paul Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-broun/) > [“The Creation of the World or Omniverse is the Creation or Recreation of the Absolute itself through the two poles, two “sides” of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/the-creation-of-the-world-or-omniverse-is-the-creation-or-recreation/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [Sure, nobody will make a fortune if we figure out why the Big Bang happened. But just about everyone would like to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/sure-nobody-will-make-a-fortune-if-we-figure-out-why-the-big-bang/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [ Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, the guys who run that show \[Big Bang Theory\], are really funny and really smart, and the cast is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/bill-prady-and-chuck-lorre-the-guys-who-run-that-show-big-bang-theory/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [Tune your television to any channel it doesn't receive and about 1 percent of the dancing static you see is accounted for by this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/tune-your-television-to-any-channel-it-doesn-t-receive-and-about-1/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## More by Jim Riva > [“nobody likes to be made out to be morons, especially morons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-riva/nobody-likes-to-be-made-out-to-be-morons-especially-morons/) Jim Riva Explore all 2 Jim Riva quotes ## More Big bang quotes > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Tune your television to any channel it doesn't receive and about 1 percent of the dancing static you see is accounted for by this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/tune-your-television-to-any-channel-it-doesn-t-receive-and-about-1/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [ Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, the guys who run that show \[Big Bang Theory\], are really funny and really smart, and the cast is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/bill-prady-and-chuck-lorre-the-guys-who-run-that-show-big-bang-theory/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [Sure, nobody will make a fortune if we figure out why the Big Bang happened. But just about everyone would like to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/sure-nobody-will-make-a-fortune-if-we-figure-out-why-the-big-bang/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“The Creation of the World or Omniverse is the Creation or Recreation of the Absolute itself through the two poles, two “sides” of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/the-creation-of-the-world-or-omniverse-is-the-creation-or-recreation/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell. It's lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-broun/all-that-stuff-i-was-taught-about-evolution-embryology-big-bang/) [Paul Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-broun/) > [For example, if the big bang had been one-part-in-a billion more powerful, it would have rushed out too fast for the galaxies to form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lanza/for-example-if-the-big-bang-had-been-one-part-in-a-billion-more/) [Robert Lanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lanza/) > [God created... light anddark, heaven and hell-science claims the same thing as religion, that the Big Bang createdeverything in the universe with an opposite."Including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/god-created-light-anddark-heaven-and-hell-science-claims-the-same/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Scientists estimate the universe unfolded from its state of infinite destiny\* - a moment commonly referred to as "the big bang" - approximately 1.3-2…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/scientists-estimate-the-universe-unfolded-from-its-state-of-infinite/) [Mark Z. 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The rest were forged in the high-temperature hearts and explosive remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/only-three-of-the-naturally-occurring-elements-were-manufactured-in/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Our entire universe emerged from a point smaller than a single atom. Space itself exploded in a cosmic fire, launching the expansion of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/our-entire-universe-emerged-from-a-point-smaller-than-a-single-atom/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [A proponent of the big bang theory, at least if he is an atheist, must believe that the matter of the universe came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-john-patrick-kenny/a-proponent-of-the-big-bang-theory-at-least-if-he-is-an-atheist-must/) Anthony John Patrick Kenny > [“Science is a human construct. Scientific laws are as valid as our understanding at any particular moment. Scientific laws are not absolute. Scientific laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/science-is-a-human-construct-scientific-laws-are-as-valid-as-our/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) [Browse all 442 Big bang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-bang/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Anselm must have been out of his mind to think that the question ‘Does God exist?’ is a question about a predicate. His ontological argument, and Descartes’ ontological argument, and all of the other ontological arguments are worthless except for playing linguistic games. Let’s not play linguistic games. Let’s be reasonable. Let’s look to science. There was no need for Aquinas to make four cosmological arguments if he had one good one, which he didn’t. As for the teleological argument, listen. 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