Marcel speaks often of the traditional proofs of the existence of God. The concrete orientation of his philosophy, however, and his phenomenological approach to the study of reality do not prompt him to discuss in detail the internal structure of the arguments or frequently even to specify which expressions of the arguments he has in mind. His primary concern is to understand the relation of the individual believer to God, that is, to clarify the question who I am or who we are in a life which affirms the necessary presence and overriding importance of God; his appraisal of the traditional proofs is made in the light of this primary concern. Therefore, when he considers the proofs, the question uppermost in his mind is not whether the proofs are logically valid, but whether they are the necessary or sufficient condition which makes meaningful the affirmation of the believer. However, in asking the question in this fashion, Marcel clearly does not wish to place the discussion on the subjective or the psychological level; he is as much concerned with the metaphysical or ontological questions involved in affirming the existence of God as is one who wishes to demonstrate that God exists.