Twentieth Century Perspectives

Question 1

What is the verification principle

Answer 1

The belief that statements are only meaningful when they can be verified by the senses

Question 2

What is metaphysics

Answer 2

The branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of reality, things that are beyond the physical realm

Question 3

What is Tautology

Answer 3

Same thing said with two different words

Question 4

What is the Vienna circle

Answer 4

Group of philosophers who argued that some statements were meaningful while other statements were not, they created the verification principle to identify the difference by saying a statement is only meaningful if it can be verified by an actual experience

Question 5

What was A.J Ayers verificationism

Answer 5

That something is meaningful if it is a tautology or something that is verifiable in principle.

This means we do not have to prove something by direct observationS

Question 6

Strength of Ayers verification principle

Answer 6

Ayer can be seen as improving the Vienna circle

Religious and ethical claims are excluded as they are different

Ayer shows that things can not be exactly proven but it can be accepted if there’s no doubt

Question 7

Weaknesses of the verification principle

Answer 7

It bases everything to be based on empirical proof, this cancels out a lot of things that cannot be experienced

Religious claims aren’t verified, does this impact anything

Perspective changes, meaning that what’s verified by people can also change over time

Question 8

What is Hicks eschatological verification to challenge Ayers

Answer 8

Hick supports the verification principle but argues that religious claims are verifiable. As in the end Gods existence will be eventually proven after death.

Question 9

What is the falsification sympsium

Answer 9

Articles written in the 1950s which responded to Antony Flews’ initial presentation of falsification