This book investigates whether the concept of God as the 'greatest possible being' is a coherent or viable foundation for theological and philosophical inquiry. Jeffrey Speaks, a professional philosopher, evaluates the historical and logical underpinnings of the Anselmian tradition. He argues that the project of defining God through maximal greatness is fundamentally flawed and proposes an alternative framework for understanding the divine nature.

Scholars and students of analytic philosophy of religion recognize this text as a rigorous critique of standard definitions of deity. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose and the author's precise logical methodology.