Symbolic language: J.R. Randall Flashcards
How is Randall similar to Tillich in his views on symbols?
He believed symbols give groups of people a common identity
Randall’s view on signs
- only provokes a mundane response. We don’t have any particular emotional response to them.
What can scientific symbols be identified as?
Cognitive symbols as they provide factual knowledge about the empirical world around us.
Randall’s view on symbols
Provokes an emotional response from those that see it or use it
What can a religious/artistic symbol be identified as?
Non cognitive symbols as they produce emotional response that is beyond what any empirical knowledge illustrates.
For example, what does the star of David symbolise?
It is more than just a 6 pointed star, it symbolises their suffering and their unity.
What does Randall believe life would be like without religious language?
It would be impoverished, as it provides insight into the meaning of life and our purpose within it.
What is the coherence theory of truth that Randall holds?
The philosophical position that the truth of a proposition is in relation to its consistency with other propositions.
What is the correspondence theory of truth?
Its truth is dependent upon objective features of the world.
What are Randall’s 4 functions of symbols?
- motivation
- communication
- clarification and disclosure
- social
The motivation function
Symbols arouse emotions and stir people into action. They summon the feelings of those who share the experience.
The communication function
Symbols communicate aspects of an experience that are otherwise inexpressible
The social function
Symbols stimulate people to cooperate and bind communities together.
The clarification and disclosure function
Symbols reveal human insight of the divine, the same way art or poetry reveals our understanding of our place in the world.
