Making Sense of Religion Flashcards
Form of Life
Wittgenstein:
Meaning if language relates to how it is used. Religious faith is part of a distinctive language game.
DZ Phillips:
Talk of God only makes sense within religious practices. We take ethical language literally. We take things as they’re written, regardless of the game.
Vardy:
In finding the value of religious language, the individual finds God. Believers make religious truths.
Social Sciences
Animism:
Tylor - Religious belief arose from attempting to explain psychological phenomena.
Naturism:
Müller - Religion arises from attempting to explain nature.
Social function:
Paveto + Durkheim - We must take into account both non-cognitive AND social aspects of religion.
Durkheim - There must be some aspect of religion that is realistic, since religion has produced so much of our culture.
Malinowski:
Religion, like magic, attempts to resolve anxiety.
Criticism:
Religion does not resolve anxiety.
Can’t compare religion to magic.
Durkheim:
Division of what is sacred and what is not (profane). All religions involve a moral community. Origin of religion is ‘totemism’. Totem represents society and God - the guide.
Criticism: Does not take into account the cognitive elements.
Problem or meaning:
Geertz - Religion answers the 3 problems of meaning -
1) Limits to cog. abilities e.g. Existence of world.
2) Limits to endurance e.g. Suffering in illness and death.
3) Limits to our moral insight e.g. Problem of evil
Therefore, religion is meaningful.
Explained away?
Weber, Geertz and Parsons argued that religion cannot be proved to be true/false by social science. Religion cannot be explained in terms of social functions. Sociological account is not reductive.
Verificationism
Logical Positivism:
Ayer - Only statements that are analytic and empirically verifiable are meaningful. ‘God exists’ is neither of these.
Criticism:
Hick - Eschatological verification.
Falsification:
Flew - Statement only meaningful if it is falsifiable.
What is the aim of religious language?
Religious language expresses the believers’ attitudes and commitments towards life.
