Philosophy Problem Avicenna Wishes to Solve

Thinkers in the Medieval Period were preoccupied with problems surrounding the existence of God. Avicenna took up the problem of the necessity of God’s existence. He solves the problem by resolving a series of issues surrounding it. Our reading this week provides a good explanation of his proof and does so in only one and a half pages of text. The shortness of this argument provides us with a good opportunity to examine a complex philosophical argument and to judge its effectiveness. The author of our text explains the argument step-by-step, and shares with us both the difficulties with each step and the insight it provides.