Ayer Flashcards
1
Q
What is Ayer’s verificationist criterion?
A
If a sentence can be confirmed by what it aims to express, it meets the verificationist criterion. If a sentence’s truth or falsehood aligns with how we expect the future to be, it’s merely a pseudo-proposition, lacking literal meaning and holding emotional significance, if any.
2
Q
How does Ayer’s critique of metaphysics differ from Ryle’s?
A
Ayer believes metaphysical claims are meaningless because they can’t be verified. Ryle, however, is more open to metaphysics, seeing it as a result of misusing language categories. If metaphysical claims align with how humans use language, Ryle finds them acceptable.
