The inherent problems of religious language

Question 1

limitations of language

Answer 1

Religious language often describes God’s nature using abstract, metaphysical qualities such as omniscience, timelessness, and infinity. These concepts exist beyond our physical, empirical world, making them difficult to comprehend and lacking direct relation to our experiences. While language is meant to facilitate clear communication, religious language can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. For example, the idea of an infinite God poses a challenge for finite beings like us, who struggle to grasp what infinity truly means.

Question 2

Metaphysical definition?

Answer 2

beyond or outside of the physical empirical world

Question 3

sacred texts and religious pronouncements as unintelligible

Answer 3

Scripture and religious teachings often contain contradictory or paradoxical claims. For instance, the problem of evil highlights the tension between the belief in an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God and the existence of significant suffering. Additionally, the idea that God is both immanent (present everywhere) and transcendent (beyond the universe) raises questions about how God can be both near and distant. Unlike ordinary claims, the metaphorical nature of religious assertions makes their true meanings unclear or potentially misleading. As these concepts are primarily metaphysical and do not relate to the empirical world, they cannot be rigorously verified or proven.

Question 4

Lack of common shared base and experience

Answer 4

Language rooted in the material world is shared by everyone and effectively describes sensory experiences. In contrast, religious language relies on faith and religious experiences, creating a lack of common understanding for its specific terminology. For instance, the concept of transubstantiation—where bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ—is a niche idea that doesn’t translate beyond its religious context. As a result, when believers use such language, it often fails to communicate meaningfully to nonbelievers.

Question 5

Cognitive definition?

Answer 5

To express propositions that can be known to be objectively true or false.

Question 6

non cognitive?

Answer 6

These do not express objective propositions (subjective) but rather express attitudes or interpretations.

Question 7

Cognitive vs non cognitive?

Answer 7

If religious language is considered cognitive, its statements should be provable or disprovable, but their often metaphysical nature makes empirical testing impossible. If viewed as non-cognitive, understanding the subjective attitudes expressed becomes challenging, as it’s unclear whether these expressions are based on shared experiences or cognitive claims. This subjectivity can render the language effectively useless in conveying meaning.

Question 8

Useful quotes?

Answer 8

Hume - “ Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter or fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames : for it can contain nothing but sophistry ( too abstract) and illusion. ”

Ayer:
“The criterion which we use to test the genuineness of apparent statement of fact is the criterion of verifiability.”

“The sentence may be emotionally significant to him: but it is not literally significant.”