Language games Strengths And Weaknesses

Question 1

Defends religious language from falsification
STRENGTH

Answer 1

Defends religious language from challenges of verification and falsification: Wittgenstein recognises that religious and scientific statements are two different types of things that deserve to be treated differently. Religion is a matter of faith, a totally separate language game to science

Question 2

Shows that religious language has meaning
STRENGTH

Answer 2

Demonstrates how religious language has meaning for those who use it within their religious language game. This reflects the reality - religious people DO believe that the religious assertions that they make have meaning, even if those outside of the language game do not.

Question 3

Leads to anti-realism
WEAKNESS

Answer 3

Language games leads to theological anti-realism. When someone says ‘God exists’, they don’t just mean within their form of life - they mean objectively. LG makes it subjective.

Question 4

Science and religion can be linked
WEAKNESS

Answer 4

Scientific and religious meaning can be linked. Wittgenstein was wrong to think that scientific meaning is radically distinct from religious meaning. They could actually overlap.

Question 5

makes religion too individualistic.
WEAKNESS

Answer 5

Dividing up human social life into different language games could become very messy - are there games within games?
For example, Does every single religious believer operate within their own language game within the religious language game? This makes religion too individualistic.

Question 6

Interfaith dialogue is futile
WEAKNESS

Answer 6

Could suggest inter-faith dialogue is futile, because you wouldn’t be able to understand each other’s rules.