Symbols Flashcards
What is a symbol?
something which identifies a concept that it is referring to and also participates in the meaning of that concept
How is much language, both religious and non-religious symbolic in the sense of being figurative?
it is used in a metaphorical way rather than being literal
How do religious people usually use language when they are talking about their relationship with God? and what does it cause?
Symbolically, problems with communication, was it meant symbolically or literally?
what do they also use symbols instead of language to convey?
to convey meanings that cannot be readily put into words
What did Paul Tillich make a distinction between and what did he argue?
Signs and symbols
- he argued that signs are chosen to stand for something else + as long as we agree the meaning of the sign it doesn’t matter what form it takes
- signs simply provide information
- however a symbol participates in the object represented
What did Paul Tillich claim?
That all religious ideas and language were symbolic
What is symbolic language, including metaphors, similes, signs and myths always?
Non-cognitive
Symbols should not be what? and why?
Interpreted literally
- Because they are subtle modes of communication about that which is beyond the factual and objective
what makes symbols important/why are they good in religious language
Because they’re non-cognitive and go beyond our normal understanding
What did John Macquarrie claim?
That the value of symbols is that they provoke in us an ‘existential response’ and an understanding in terms of ‘similarity of relation’
What is existential response?
symbols remind us of feelings such as loyalty or awe
What is similarity of relation?
symbols can work in the same way as analogies
what should symbols not be treated like?
Theories where one is true and others are false
What do symbols illustrate?
different aspects of the truth
what do symbols evoke?
feelings and association of ideas
