Earlier theologians had put forth arguments that God's existence is self-evident, but Saint Anslem, an Italian born bishopof Canterbury, was the first to assert his argument in a formal, sel-conscious manner. Saint Anslem is credited as having the most luminous and penetrating intellect between Saint Augustine, whom he closely followed and Saint Thomas Aquainas.
The argument is found in his famous "Proslogium". Sine it relies on reasons alone, and is based on defining the nature of God's being, it is one of the most difficult philosophical arguments and becomes even more obscure in the language and style of eleventh century.
--> Things exists in understanding and/or in reality. For instance, your college/school/office is in your understanding because you can conceive it when you are at your homes. At the same time the college/school/office exists in reality too. Because it is made up of brick and mortar and you can touch it and can feel it. Because it has weight and occupies some space. On the other hand, mermaids, unicorns and fairies only exist in our understanding. We can only conceive them, but they do not exist in relity.
--> Something that exists in both, in understanding and in the reality is greater than the one which exists only in our understanding.
--> Defination of God: God is the being nothing greater than which can be conceived.
--> Here the question arieses that whether God exists only in our understanding or He also in reality?
--> If he exists in understanding alone, he is not the greatest, because the one that can exists both in reality and understanding would be even more "Greater".
--> But we know that God is the being nothing greater can be conceived. Therefore, God exists in understanding as well as in the understanding.
--> Therefore, God exists.
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