is to show that, in relation to all these, the attainment of a system of speculative philosophy is impossible (Mansel, I'rolegom. Log. p. 272).
In theology the ontological argument has been freely employed, especially in the Middle Ages, regarding the Being oj" God. St. Augustine used it, so did Boethius; but it was left for Anselm to develop it fidl}'. They all three inferred the existence of God from the existence of general ideas. Thus Augustine taught {De Lib. Arbitr. lib. ii, c. 3-15) that there are general ideas which have for every one the same objective validity, and are not (like the perceptions of sense) different and conditioned by the subjective apprehension. Among these are the mathematical truths, as 3+7 = 10; here, too, belongs the higher metaphysical truth — truth in itself, i. e. wisdom (veritas, sapientia). The absolute truth, however, which is necessarily demanded by the human mind, is God himself. Augustine asserts that man is composed of existence, life, and thinking, and shows that the last is the most excellent ; hence he in- fers that that by which thinking is regulated, and which, therefore, must be superior to thinking itself, is the summum bonum. He finds this summura bonum in those general laws which every thinking person must acknowledge, and according to which he must form an opinion respecting thinking itself. The sum total of these laws or rules is called t?-iith or wisdom (veritas, sapientia). The absolute is, therefore, equal to truth itself. God is truth. (Comp. Kitter, Christl. Phil, i, 407-411.) Boethius expresses himself still more defi- nitely (/)e Consol. Phil. v. Prosa 10) : he shows that empirical observation and the perception of the imper- fect lead necessarily to the idea of perfection and its reality in God. (Comp. Schleiermacher, Geschichte der Philosophic, p. 166.) Of Anselm's argument we can here give only the heads ; the thread of reasoning must be seen from the connection :
"Monol. I. Cum tam iuuumerahilia bona sint, quorum tam ninltam diversitatem etsensibus coipoieis esperimur et ratione mentis disceniimiis, estiie credeudiiin esse inium aliquid, per quod unum sunt bona, qusecnuqne bona sunt, ant sunt bona alia j)ei- aliiid? . . . III. Uenl- que non solum omnia bona per idem aliquid sunt bona et omnia magna per idem aliquid sunt magna, scd quicquid est, per 'unnm aliquid videtur esse . . . Quoniam ergo cnucta quas sunt, sunt per ipsnm unum ; procul dubio et ipsum luium est per se ipsum. Qu-necunque igitur alia sunt, sunt i)er aliud, et ipsum solum per se ipsum. Ac quicquid est per aliud, minus est quam ilhid, per quod cuncta sunt alia et quod solum est i)er se: quare illud, quod est per se, maxitne omnium est. Est igitur unum aliquid, quod solum maxime et sumnie omnium est; quod auteni maxime omnium est et per quod est quicquid est bonum vel mnguuin, et omiiino quicquid est aliquid est, id necesse est esse summe bouum et summe magnum et summum omnium quie sunt. Quare est aliquid, quod give essentia, sive substantia, sive uatura dicatur, opti- mum et iiiaxiuium est et summum omnium quae sunt."
The mode of argument which is found in Proslog. c. ii is more original (he there proceeds from the reality of the idea): The /ool may say in his heart there is no God (Psa. xiv, 1), but he thereby shows himself a fool, be- cause he asserts something which is contradictory in itself. He has the idea of God in him, but denies its reality. But if God is given in idea, he must also exist in reality. Otherwise the i-eal God, whose existence is conceivable, would be superior to the one who exists only in imagination, and consequently would be supe- rior to the highest conceivable object, which is absurd; hence it follows that that beyond which nothing can be conceived to exist really exists (thus idea and reality coincide). If, therefore, the fool says, There is no God, he says it indeed, and may, perhaps, even think it. But there is a difference between thought and thought. To conceive a thing when the word is without mean- ing, e. g. that fire is water (a mere sound, an absurdity !), is very different from the case in which the thought corresponds with the word. It is only according to the former mode of thinking (which destroys the thought itself) that the fool can say, There is no God, but not according to the latter. See Ueberweg, Hist, of I'hilos.
ONUPHRIUS
380
ONYCHA
i, 378, 383 sq.; ii, 42, 49, 5G, 104 sq., 148, 177, 497 sq. ; M'Cosh, Iniuition of God; Farrar, Ciit. JJist. of Free Thou'jht; Morell, Hist, of I'hilos. ISth and IQlk Cent. p. 053; Baur, Dof/mengesch. vol. ii; Hagenbach, IJist. of Doctrines, i, 325 sq. ; Krautli's Viuing, Vocubulan/ of Philos. s. V. ; Cocker, Christianity and Greek I'hilos. p. 491-494. (J. H.W.)
Ouuphrius, St. (Onofrio, Jlonofrio, Ontiphre), a hermit of the early Christian Church, went out from Thebes and passed sixty years in the desert, during which time he never uttered a word except in prayer, nor saw a human face. His clothing was of leaves, and his hair and beard were uncut, lie was thus seen hy Paphnutius, who when he first saw him was tilled with fear, believing him to be some strange wild beast; but when he saw that it was a man, he fell at his feet filled with reverence of his sanctity. 'I'hen Onuphrius re- counted all he had endured in his solitude: how he had been tempted; had suffered from cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and sickness; and how God had sent angels to comfort, strengthen, and minister unto him. Then he begged Paphnutius to remain with him, as he was near to death. It was not long before he died, and Paphnu- tius covered his remains with one half of his cloak. Then he had a revelation that he should go into the world and make known the wonderful life and merits of him who had died. Many convents where silence and solitude are practiced are placed imder the protec- tion of this saint. Tasso died and is buried in the con- vent of St. Onofrio, in the Trastevere in Rome. He is represented as meagre and old; a stick in his hand, and a branch with leaves twisted about him. In many old pictures he looks more the beast than the man. Some- times money is lying at his feet, to signifv his scorn of it. He is commemorated June 12. See Mrs. .Jame- son, Monastic Legends; Mrs. Clement, Hand-book of Mythologij, etc., s. v.