The idea of God
Why He Must Exist

The Argument from Representation

In general, we have seen, you cannot infer from an idea to the existence of what it is an idea of
But God is special
To have an idea of him is sufficient to show that He exists
     this is a surprising argument

God. Defined. an infinite substance

This (surely) means
the sum of all perfections
some of the attributes are in me
     others not
But I cannot advance from my finiteness to God's infinity

Would I imagine God. He is infinite.
Well, imagine my powers increasing and so I could imagine myself becoming infinitely great

Still I would differ from God for He is actually infinite
That different from potential infinity
1, 3, n, n+1 . . . . merely potential infinity
     What if I have no such idea of God

1. I have an idea of God
2. I could not have invented this idea
     I could not have created it out of my ideas of finite things
3. Therefore God exists

note how we can question both 1 and 2

1. Some people, atheists, do not have this idea
     Descartes really doesn't explain how to deal with them
     Atheism would be a defect, like needing glasses to see properly

As I said earlier: Very hard to find real atheism in D's culture
     People who were burned as atheists were more likely heretics

2. Even if I have the idea of God, why must God exist

Here Descartes's argument about potential versus actual infinity is problematic.

Descartes's 2nd argument for God
My Continued existence requires God

Descartes doesn't clearly say this is a separate, a distinct argument

1. My continued existence requires God

     As if I were a wagon (on a surface with friction) which would stop moving unless it continues to be pushed

God doesn't just create world but at each moment keeps it existing
     he keeps substances in existence

God the artisan puts his mark in me

When I reflect on myself I find it
So the idea must be innate