In Behalf of the Fool

Gaunilo of Marmoutiers and Anselm of Canterbury — translated by Sidney Norton Deane (Open Court, 1903; reprint 1926), from CCEL.

The first and most famous objection to the ontological argument, with its answer. Gaunilo, a monk of Marmoutiers, writes on behalf of the fool of Psalm 14 — if the argument worked, he says, it would prove a perfect lost island into existence. Anselm replies that the argument holds only of that than which nothing greater can be conceived.

Up: Anselm of Canterbury

Contents (12)

1. In Behalf of the Fool
2. Anselm’s Apologetic
3. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 1. A general refutation of Gaunilon’s argument. It is shown that a being than which a greater cannot be conceived exists in reality
4. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 2. The argument is continued. It is shown that a being than which a greater is inconceivable can be conceived, and also, in so far, exists
5. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 3
6. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 4. The difference between the possibility of conceiving of non-existence, and understanding non-existence
7. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 5. A particular discussion of certain statements of Gaunilon’s. In the first place, he misquoted the argument which he undertook to refute
8. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 6. A discussion of Gaunilon’s argument in his second chapter: that any unreal beings can be understood in the same way, and would, to that extent, exist
9. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 7. In answer to another objection: that the supremely great being may be conceived not to exist, just as by the fool God is conceived not to exist
10. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 8
11. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 9. The possibility of understanding and conceiving of the supremely great being. The argument advanced against the fool is confirmed
12. Anselm’s Apologetic, Chapter 10. The certainty of the foregoing argument.—The conclusion of the book