Theme 4: Relgious Language Flashcards
(108 cards)
1
Q
Define Religous Language
A
The communication of beliefs teachings and practices
2
Q
Define univocal language
A
The word had exactly the same meaning at all times e.g black
3
Q
Define epivocal language
A
The same word is used with 2 completely different meanings e.g bat
4
Q
Define cognitive language
A
Factual statements proved true or false by empirical evidence
5
Q
Define non cognitive statements
A
Statements that cannot be proven true or false
6
Q
Who argues that because we don’t experience the divine on a regular basis we can’t talk about it
A
Sallie McFague
7
Q
Who argues that language about God is metaphorical
A
Sallie McFague
8
Q
What are the 2 prongs on Hume Forks
A
Analytical statements
Synthetic statements
9
Q
Define Analytical statements according to Hume
A
Formal abstract knowledge
10
Q
Define Synthetic statements according to Hume
A
Derived from the 5 senses
Empirical knowledge based on impressions from sense experiences
11
Q
What did the Verification Principle come from
A
A movement known as Logical Positivism
12
Q
What do Logical Positivsts believe the aim of philosphers should be
A
The analysis of language
Particularly the language of science
13
Q
What is the only way propositions are meaningful according to Logical Positivists
A
If they can be verified empirically in principle
14
Q
Who was the group that put forward the movement of the verification principle
A
The Vienna Circle
15
Q
Where did the foundations of the Vienna Circle’s work come from
A
Wittgenstein
16
Q
How do the Vienna circle deam a statement meaningful
A
If it can be defined or pictured in the real world
17
Q
What did The Vienna circle say a statement must fit into in order to be meaningful
A
Mathematical statements
Analytical statements
Synthetic statements
18
Q
Which member of the Vienna circle discovered a problem with the Verification Principle
A
A.J Ayer
19
Q
What issue did AJ Ayer find with the Verification Principle
A
It can’t prove historical statements
20
Q
What 2 types of Verification did AJ Ayer bring in order to deal with the issues of the Verification Principle
A
Strong and Weak Verification
21
Q
When does Strong Verification occur
A
When there is no doubt that the statement is true or false
22
Q
When does Weak Verification occur
A
When there is not absolute certainty, but there is a strong likelihood of truth because of the evidence
23
Q
What is A.J Ayer’s book where he mentions strong and weak Verification
A
Language, Truth and Logic
24
Q
Define Strong Verification according to AJ Ayer
A
Directly verifiable statements that are verifiable by observation
25
Define Weak Verification according to AJ Ayer
Indirectly verifiable statements which are not directly verifiable
26
Summarise the Parable of the Celestial City
2 men walk down the same
One believes it will lead to the celestial city while the other believes it will lead nowhere
27
What does the Parable of the Celestial City mean according to Religious Language
We can never falsify religious language however it may be possible to verify if when we die
28
Which scholar thought of the Falsification Principle
Karl Popper
29
Define falsification
The idea that for something to be meaningful it must be proven false
30
What is the example used to explain the Falsification principle
White Swan example
31
What is the White Swan example
To find out if every Swan is white we need to try and falsify it by finding a swan which isn't white
32
What is Flew's article where he talks about the Falsification principle
Theology and Falsification
33
What was Poppers book where he mentions the White Swan example
Logic of Scientifc Discovery
34
How can religious statements not be falsified according to Flew
As there is no way to go out an falsify religious statements due to the divine nature
35
Who thought of the Parable of the Invisble Gardner
John Wisdom
36
Which scholar uses the Parbale of The Invisble Gardner to explain The Falsification Principle
Flew
37
Summarise the Parable of the Invisible Gardener
Explorers find a clearing of flowers and weeds. One says its a Gardner the other says nothing tends to it
The Gardner never comes so the believer adds characteristics to the Gardner e.g invisble and silent
38
Who began the Symposium
Flew
39
What is The Symposium
A group of people who meet to discuss the same question
40
Who are the 3 members of the Symposium
Flew
Hare
Mitchell
41
Which Parable does Hare use to criticise Flew
Parable of the Lunatic
42
Summarise Parable of the Lunatic
Lunatic is convinced that all dons (Uni professors) want to kill him even after his friends introduce him to kind ones
43
How does the Parable of The Lunatic relate to religious language
Lunatic= religious believer
Lunatic belief of dons= God's existence
Even though people show evidence that disproves God's existence the believer will still believe as its an unfalsifable conviction
44
What term describes a person's unfalsifiable conviction
Bliks
45
Who coined the term Bliks
Hare
46
Define Unfalsibale conviction
Opinion
47
3 features of Bliks
Part of a person that gives them meaning if others don't share the same view
Everyone has them
Bliks are unfalsifiable
48
3 criticisms of Hare's Bliks
Can lead to relativism; there is no objective truth to be found at all
Blik's are just opinions but religious Believers mean it as Fact so it can be falsifiable
Hare makes a distinction between sane and insane Bliks but as they're unverifiable and unfalsifiable how can we make the distinction
49
What Parable does Mitchell use to criticise Flew
The Parable of the Stranger
50
Summarise The Parbale of the Stanger
In war memeber of resistance meets a stranger who he gains the trust of. When he sees the stranger on the opposing side he still trusts him
51
How does The Parbale of The Stranger link to religion
Partisan= religious believer
Stranger= God
Stranger being seen as the enemy = evil and suffering
Stranger being seen as a friend= answered prayers
The religious believer acknowledges evidence that counts against his belief in God; but he still chooses faith
52
What does Mitchell argue using The Parable of the Stranger
Just because there are some observations that count against a certain belief, doesn't mean we should reject the belief
53
Who states that belief in God is a trial of faith
Mitchell
54
Define Trail of Faith
A test for the religiously held beliefs that an individual had
55
Who is a Post Symposium philosopher
Swinburne
56
In which book does Swinburne critic Flew
Coherence of Theism
57
What does Swinburne say that critics Flew
Some statements are meaningful even when we do not know how to falsify them e.g scientific theories
58
Who talks about symbolic language
Paul Tillich
59
How does Tillich define God
Ultimate Concern
60
What analogy does Tillich use to help describe his point
Painting analogy
61
What is Tillich's painting analogy
"It is possible to describe a painting but the description is useless without having the painting there"
62
What is the only way to express humanity's ultimate concern according to Tillich
Symbolically because the ultimate is transcendent
63
How does the painting analogy link to religious language
It is possible to describe God but the description becomes more meaningful with a visual symbol
64
List 4 of the 6 characteristics of Symbols according to Tillich
Point beyond themselves
Opens levels of reality
Cannot be Manufactured
They Grow and Die
65
Explain Point beyond themselves as a characteristic of symbols
Direct attention to deeper meaning s beyond their physical form
66
Give an example of symbols pointing beyond themselves
A stop sign directs the action of stopping
The cross Points to the sacrifice of Jesus
67
Explain opens up levels of reality as an characteristic of symbolic language
They reveal aspects of reality that are otherwise inaccessible
68
Give an example of open levels of reality as a characteristic of symbolic language
Art creates a symbol of a plane that we cannot move toward by science alone
69
Explain cannot be Manufactured as a characteristic of symbolic language
Symbols arise from the unconscious and must be accepted on that level
70
Give an example of cannot be Manufactured as a characteristic of symbolic language
Christian Cross emerged from the significance of Jesus' crucification
71
Give an example of they grow and Die as a characteristic of symbolic language
Nazi Swatstika, Old national flag
72
Explain they grow and Die as a characteristic of symbolic language
Born out of need and perish when they no longer generate a reaction within a group
73
Strength of symbolic language
Can relate religious ideas to ordinary/everyday experiences e.g love
74
Weakness of symbolic language
Edwards argue they are meaningless as they can't be verified or falsified
"It doesn't convey any facts"
75
What are the 4 functions of symbols
Motivation
Social
Communication
Reveal the Divine
76
Explain Motivation as a function of symbols
Religious symbols fire up emotions and inspire people into action
77
Explain social as a function of symbols
Common understanding of the symbol which binds communities together
78
Explain communication as a function of symbols
Can help communicate a concept difficult to speak about
79
Explain reveal the divine as a function of symbols
Those who have religious experience speak symbolically
80
What are the 3 types of Myths
Creation Myths
Good Against Evil Myths
Heroic Myths
81
Define Creation Myths
A symbolic narrative or story that explains the origin of the world, universe or life itself
82
3 features of Creation Myths
Often involves God's, supernatural beings
Found in many cultures to answer questions about where everything comes from
Can be expressed through oral traditions, literature and art
83
What is an example of a creation Myth
Genesis
84
Define Good Against Evil Myths
Centres on the conflict between forces or beings representing good and those representing evil
85
3 features of Good Against Evil Myths
Explore themes of morality, justice
Good symbolises virtues such as kindness, righteousness and order
Evil represents traits like corruption and chaos
86
Name an example of a Myth of Good Against Evil
Ragnarok
87
Define Heroic Myths
Focused on a central character who embark on a extraordinary journey or quest
88
3 features of Heroic Myths
Explore themes of courage, sacrifice and personal growth
Occurs in all cultures and literature
Normally have a divine birth
89
Example of a Heroic Myth
The Story of Sampson
90
How does Wittgenstein define Religious Language
Something that is meaningful as long as we understand the context of the language
91
What quote from Wittgenstein explains language game theory
"Whereof cannot speak, thereof one must remain silent"
92
Which theory of truth does Religous Language fall into
The Coherence Theory of Truth
93
What is the Coherence Theory of Truth
Belief that something is true when it fits with the views of those within the community
94
What is the correspondence theory of truth
Belief that something is true because it relates to an objective external reality
95
Who takes Language games theory and applies it to Religous Language
D.Z Phillips
96
Who uses the analogy of attribution and proposition to explain religous language
Aquinas
97
What are the 2 Analogies Aquinas uses to explain religious language
Analogy of attribution
Analogy of proposition
98
Define analogy of attribution according to Aquinas
Where that quality is given to one thing because it is caused by another
99
What example is used for analogy of attribution
Because the bread is good the Baker is good
100
What did Aquinas argue using the analogy of attribution
If God made the world it must reflect his qualities in some way
To call a human being good, God must also be good
101
What example does Aquinas use in analogy of attribution
The medicine is healthy
The urine is healthy
102
What did Aquinas argue using the analogy of proportion
When we call God good or loving we call him loving to the height of what a God sees as a loving not a human
103
Define analogy of proportion
Where words relate to objects which are different in proportion
104
Which philosopher talks about disclourses and qualifiers
Ian Ramsey
105
Define disclosure
Where something is made known where previously it was hidden or unknown
106
Define qualifer
Where a word or phrase is used to give a deeper meaning to the model that the qualifier precedes
107
What is a model according to Ramsey
A form of analogy- an image or concept taken from everyday experiences to express something about God
108
How is God is Good analysed according to Ramsey
Good acts as the model for God giving people understanding of God
Adding a qualifier such as infinitely Good can be added to deepen our understanding of what it means that God is good
