Graduation Year
2019
Date of Submission
4-2019
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Philosophy
Reader 1
James Kreines
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2019 Emma G Houston
Abstract
In this thesis, I use Kant's Transcendental Ideal and Fourth Antinomy in the Critique of Pure Reason as a bedrock to understand mistakes in popular spatio-temporal and transcendental proofs for the existence of God and develop a discussion of the necessity of the continued search for, and potential foundation of, an alternative proof of the existence of God. I will first attempt to instill the thought of the necessity of a commitment to the idea of the existence of God. I will then explain and clarify a) the three transcendental proofs for the existence of God and b) what I take to be Kant’s most relevant and substantive refutations of these proofs. After, I will explain and clarify Kant’s perceived failure of spatio-temporal proofs. I then summarize what I consider to be most grave failure of the transcendental proof. Finally, I will assume Kant’s refutation of the ontological proof to be a metaphysical failure and discuss potential solutions to the current issues of proofs for the existence of God.
Recommended Citation
Houston, Emma, "The Refutation of Existing Proofs for the Existence of God and the Continued Search for a Valid Proof of the Existence of God: A Defense and Interpretation of Kant" (2019). CMC Senior Theses. 2113.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2113
