Religious Language

Question 1

Name a philosopher who believes God is timeless

Answer 1

Anselm

Question 2

Name a philosopher who believes God is outside of time

Answer 2

Boethius

Question 3

Name two philosophers who believe God is in time

Answer 3

Swinburne & Plantinga

Question 4

What does Calvin believe about Free Will

Answer 4

We are predestined and have no true free will

Question 5

What does Anselm believe about Free Will

Answer 5

We retain free will despite God being timeless

Question 6

Which philosopher believes God can do anything logically possible

Answer 6

Aquinas

Question 7

Which philosopher believes God’s ability is absolute

Answer 7

Descartes

Question 8

Define Omniscience

Answer 8

God knows everything

Question 9

Define Omnipotence

Answer 9

God has the ability to do anything

Question 10

Define Benevolence

Answer 10

God is perfectly Good

Question 11

What is the Apophatic Way also referred to as

Answer 11

Via Negativa

Question 12

What is the Cataphatic Way also referred to as

Answer 12

Via Positiva

Question 13

What type of approaches are these

Answer 13

Cogntiive

Question 14

What does the Apophatic Way say about describing God

Answer 14

We can only say what God is not due to our limited human understanding

Question 15

What does the Apophatic Way say about those who chose to describe what God is

Answer 15

If we describe what he is we are anthropomorphising

Question 16

Who are the two key Via Negativa philosophers

Answer 16

James & Aquinas

Question 17

What did James say about the nature of God

Answer 17

‘Ineffable nature of God (he is beyond description)

Question 18

What is an example of the Via Negativa approach being used

Answer 18

Within Judaism the word ‘God’ isn’t even used and within Islam God isn’t portrayed visually

Question 19

What are the criticisms for the Via Negativa approach

Answer 19

Via Positiva (Aquinas, Augustine, Anselm)
The Bible proves this to be false as it uses scripture to describe God in a positive way
It isn’t a true reflection of how religious people speak of God

Question 20

What does the Cataphatic Way say about describing God

Answer 20

We can use language to describe him

Question 21

Who are the three key Via Positiva philosophers

Answer 21

Aquinas, Augustine, Anselm

Question 22

What is an example of the Via Positiva approach being used

Answer 22

We have some understanding of God

Question 23

What are the criticisms for the Via Positiva approach

Answer 23

Via Negativa
Brummer claims he analogy of proportionality takes us no further than negative theology

Question 24

What type of approach is Analogy

Answer 24

A cognitive approach

Question 25

Define Analogy

Answer 25

A comparison between one thing and another to explain

Question 26

Who are the four key philosophers for Analogy

Answer 26

Aquinas, MacQuarrie, Ramsey, Ferre

Question 27

Who created the Doctrine of Analogy

Answer 27

Aquinas

Question 28

What did MacQuarrie say about Analogy

Answer 28

‘Analogy makes possible that language of scripture and liturgy that is at the heart of the Christian religion unless we can say that it is meaningful'

Question 29

What example of Analogy does Ferre give

Answer 29

‘Analogy tells us what words about God do without pretending to have grasped their full meaning’

Question 30

Which philosopher criticised Analogy

Answer 30

Brummer

Question 31

What did Brummer say about analogy

Answer 31

Brummer said this approach goes no further than Via Negativa

Question 32

Define Symbolism

Answer 32

Something that participates in that which it points

Question 33

Who are the two key philosophers for Analogy

Answer 33

Randall & Tillich

Question 34

What's different about Randall & Tillich's approaches to Symbolism

Answer 34

Randall’s approach isn't cognitive, Tillich’s approach is cognitive

Question 35

Give three examples of Symbolism

Answer 35

A flag, music, religious language

Question 36

Give two criticisms of Symbolism

Answer 36

Revelations cannot be verified or falsified using empirical evidence Symbols do not contain any factual knowledge they are completely meaningless

Question 37

What criticism of Symbolism did Tillich make

Answer 37

Symbols change over time

Question 38

Define Falsification

Answer 38

If a proposition is scientific if it can state what evidence would prove it false

Question 39

Who are the five key philosophers for Falsification

Answer 39

Popper, Flew, Mitchell, Hare, Hick

Question 40

What are the three examples for Flasification

Answer 40

The Gardener Bliks Dies the death of 1000 qualifications

Question 41

What criticism did Flew make for Falsification

Answer 41

Flew rendered all religious language to be meaningless

Question 42

Define Verification

Answer 42

A sentence is only meaningful if it is a tautology (something that is true by definition e.g. a triangle)

Question 43

What are the two approaches to Verification

Answer 43

The Strong & Weak approach

Question 44

What is the Strong Verification approach

Answer 44

Conclusive empirical evidence

Question 45

What is the Weak Verification approach

Answer 45

Be able to state what empirical evidence would make a sentence probable

Question 46

Which philosopher rejected the Strong Approach and instead followed the Weak Approach

Answer 46

Ayer

Question 47

What's an example of Verification

Answer 47

A triangle can be verified (3 sides)

Question 48

Which three philosophers criticized Verification

Answer 48

Brummer, Emmet, Aquinas

Question 49

What were Brummer, Emmet & Aquinas' criticisms to Verification

Answer 49

Brummer said we should treat religious sentences like science is an error in understanding Emmett and Aquinas said Verification should be understood as analogies

Question 50

Define Language Games

Answer 50

A term depends on its use - we need to know the ‘rules of game’ to understand the sentence

Question 51

Who is the main philosopher for Language Games

Answer 51

Wittgenstein

Question 52

What was a criticism given about Language Games

Answer 52

It is a circular approach

Question 53

How does Univocal Language go against the theory of Language Games

Answer 53

It suggests language can have one meaning

Question 54

What is Univocal Language

Answer 54

Words that always have the same meaning

Question 55

Give an example of Univocal Language

Answer 55

Cat