Norman Malcolm
Student and friend of Wittgenstein, he argued that Anselm's second argument, the one about necessary existence, withstands the critiques.
Life
American philosopher (1911-1990), professor at Cornell University. A student and then friend of Wittgenstein at Cambridge, he wrote a widely read memoir of him. He defended common sense against scepticism, wrote on the nature of dreaming, and argued that Anselm's second argument (necessary existence) is valid. He matters for the questions on God and on certainty.
Main works
A personal portrait of Wittgenstein and of the way he philosophised.
Argues that dreaming is not having experiences during sleep, and that the waking report is the only criterion.
Distinguishes two arguments in Anselm and judges the second, from necessary existence, to be valid.
Positions
click a row to see the evidenceHe finds Anselm's second argument valid, and takes religious language seriously as a way of life, without proving a personal God.
Malcolm, Anselm's Ontological Arguments (1960)
Following Moore, he defends common sense: ordinary certainties such as 'here is a hand' are not open to real doubt.
Malcolm, Defending Common Sense (1949)
Inspired by Wittgenstein, religious belief is a form of life that does not rest on proof and is not judged by outside reasons.
Malcolm, The Groundlessness of Belief, in Reason and Religion (1977)