4A- inherant problems

Question 1

Explain Limitations of lang for traditional conceptions of God such as infinite and timeless

Answer 1

We understand language that we experience and base off common experiences eg my car is black (has no difficulty being interpreted), and most of it refers to a physical world
The very fact god is timeless and infinite is impossible to understand or describe to finite and mortal beings

Experiences are confined to the empirical world for example confined to 3 dimensions, so find it difficult to describe 5 dimensions as we don’t live in it (abstract)
Same for religious language such as timeless may be seen as abstract claims as dont experience in world around us
Problem remains that RL about God is unverifiable

Question 2

What does HUme say about Limitations of lang for traditional conceptions of God such as infinite and timeless

Answer 2

Empiricists such as Hume & logical positivists have deemed metaphysical language as meaningless
Hume ‘commit it then to the flames’

Question 3

Explain the Challenges to sacred texts + religious pronouncements as unintelligible

Answer 3

Difficult to understand a lot of RL if you aren’t in that context (link to language games)
Lot of RL is wrapped in ritual + practice
Non-believers may understand what a church/temple is as it deals with observable and experienced empirical world
but when try to understand what is said and believed within these buildings is difficult such as the divinities that are worshipped as may not be understandable/relatable

Question 4

explain the Challenge RL is not a common shared base and experience

Answer 4

Inherently problematic as RL struggles to communicate ideas that can be agreed on by all- no universal shared empirical experience of ‘God’ for people to relate to
How can religions convey what’s known if others can’t relate
Language is experienced based- experiences are based within confines of time so to talk about things beyond our experience is to move beyond which is known so can only be described in abstract terms
Eg if I talk about the place of worship i can only describe physical location/features (this can be known)
Once start to talk about my belief of an infinite, timeless divinity there’s no empirical truth of what i said
RL is an attitude towards life- Hare’s Blik shows belief is meaningful to individual

Question 5

What are the 3 main inherent problems

Answer 5

1) Limitations of lang for traditional conceptions of God such as infinite and timeless
2) Challenges to sacred texts + religious pronouncements as unintelligible
3) Challenge RL is not a common shared base and experience