Argument From Degree - Rebuttals

Rebuttals

A common argument is that it is not evident that simply because we can conceive of an object with some property in a greater degree, that such an object exists. However, as the argument from degree is built upon principles deemed metaphysically necessary by mediaeval philosophers, this objection might be said to beg the question against Aquinas's framework.

Defenders of the argument usually cite Axiom S5, as in Anselm's and Plantinga's ontological argument. Unfortunately this form of S5 is considered by modern mathematicians to be incorrect, and was shown by Paul Almond to imply a contradiction.