4.3 Wittgenstein's Language games

Question 1

What does language games mean?

Answer 1

• In every ‘form of life’ words and phrases are used within the context of a subject area- people who belong to this form of life are players in that game
• All forms of life have their own language and their own rules concerning meaning

Question 2

Give an example of a word in multiple language games

Answer 2

bat:
- animal world: nocturnal flying creature
- Cricket: something wooden you hit a ball with

Question 3

What is picture theory?

Answer 3

• Language works by **triggering **within us how things are in the world. Word’s enable us to make pictures of facts
• Words enable us to let another person see the picture in their mind and understand

Question 4

What are the key features of picture theory?

Answer 4

1. The language is cognitive- about making a univeraslly true statement
2. the primary purpose of language is to convey facts
3. these facts can be empirically verified
   4.

Question 5

What is language in picture theory and language games?

Answer 5

Picture theory:
- Words help us make pictures of facts in our minds

Language games:
- words are tools used to communicate with others from inside our ‘form of life’ or our game

Question 6

What gives language meaning in picture theory and langauge games?

Answer 6

Picture theory:
- Facts and pictures in our minds

Langauge games:
- understanding language/ words’ purpose or use

Question 7

How is language used in picture theory and langauge games?

Answer 7

Picture theory:
- Words enable us to make pictures of facts

Langauge games:
- Primary purpose is not to make factual statements, but to be understood by others in the same language game

Question 8

What does functional mean?

Answer 8

We join inn a ‘form of life’; we learn a new language, the rules of that game; we don’t ask the absolute meaning of a word, only its use in that game

Question 9

What is a form of life?

Answer 9

• We live in sections (families/ jobs/ friendships)
• The FOL is the special world we inhabit with others where we use language in a way that is understood by others in that FOL

Question 10

How do forms of life affect the meaning of language?

Answer 10

• We cannot ask the absolute meaning in use, that is, its meaning in a particular game
• When I learn the language of a subject, or those of my family, I am learning the rules of the game- the language game

Question 11

What is the criteria of coherence?

Answer 11

If you use an item of language correctly, in a way others in the game understand then it is meaningful

Question 12

What is a category mistake?

Answer 12

Those who don’t play the game will hear RL and misunderstand it
e.g scientists looking for empirical evidence of a soul

Question 13

Do language games solve the problem of talking about God and religion, by making RL meaningful?

Answer 13

• LW suggested RL was meaningful when understood within the proper context of its own LG
• Those who don’t play the game will hear RL and misunderstand it

Question 14

How do language games highlight the distinctive character of RL?

Answer 14

• LW says that RL is non-cognitive, its not about making universally trus statements- but about communicating meaning to other players in the same game
• RL is meaningful when understood by those in the same game

Question 15

Strengths of language games

Answer 15

• distinguishes between different types of language
• important in bringing community together
• Defends RL from criticism

Question 16

Weaknesses of language games

Answer 16

• Doesn’t allow believer’s claims to be empirically tested
• Alienates people outside the game
• justifies extremism
• rejects view that language can be objective and scientific

Question 17

What is fideism?

Answer 17

• Doctrine that knowledge depends on faith or revelation

Question 18

How does LG support fideism?

Answer 18

1. Some truths can only be known through faith, not reason
2. Faith is independent of reason
3. Reason and faith are hostile to one another, faith is superious at arriving at certain truths

Mitchell believes reason and evudence is part of belief

Question 19

What did LW believe about the meaning of language?

Answer 19

• Picture theory: anit-realist/ logical positivism
• Language games: Language statements are not intended to be true or false for everyone

Question 20

Do the ideas of ludwig Wittgenstein solve the problems with talking about God and religion?

Answer 20

• You have to be in the language game to perceive his argument as a solution
• There is still no evidence
• RL has no meaning outside of its language game

Question 21

What are the key ideas of Dewi Zephaniah phillips?

Answer 21

• Some try to interpret LW’s work as saying that God exists, but Phillips says thats not what he was saying- says God has meaning within that community

welsh philosopher- LW greatest student

Question 22

What did DZP believe about the meaning of language?

Answer 22

• He doesn’t deny the possibility of God’s objective existence
• God’s existence is a question beyond a philosopher’s remit

Question 23

Do DZP’s ideas solve the problem with talking about God and religion?

Answer 23

• How is it possible to have meaningful discussion e.g can there ever be only interaction between science and religion?- as they dont exist in the same language games
• Bertrand Russell says that language theorists are like those sharpening their tools but not using them