Can religious

language be

meaningful?

Today’s lesson will be successful if you can:

Explain the Verification Principle

Critique the Verification Principle

We started on Tuesday looking at the word ‘meaning’. This is because we need to find out if religious language is meaningful.

Before we do this – try the activity on the sheet. Can you work out whether these statements are ‘meaningful’?

(Philosophy of Religion Statements Sheet)

Using the words from your glossary, make a bingo grid with 6 words.

Can you a) recogniseb) explain these words in relation to the Verification

Principle

Starter:Make a 6 grid Bingo grid with the following words:

Starter:Sort these into Analytic and Synthetic statements

All bachelors are unmarried

All men are arrogant

The president is dishonest

Daisies are flowers

Triangles have three sides

Two halves make a whole

The table in the kitchen is round

Frozen water is ice

The V

eri

fica

tion

Prin

ciple Statements that

cannot be empirically

verified are meaningless”

Love of money is the root of all evil

God is GoodThere is life on other planets

Dog’s bark

The verification principle states that only statements that are either analytic, or synthetic that are empirically verifiable are meaningful. All other statements are meaningless.

There are 180 degrees in a triangle

Which of these statements are empirically verifiable?

God exists Jesus lived

Hurray

I will go to heaven when I die

Create a table, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of the Vienna Circle verification principle (logical positivism)

Advantages Disadvantages

So, because God/Religion cannot be empirically verified, to describe God/Religion as anything is meaningless.

John Hick (1922 – 2012) came up with the a BRILLIANT argument against logical positivism – we cannot empirically verify the existence of God this side of heaven!We may be able to sometime in the future. Now, who can argue with that!

Ideas for extra studyHomework task: when you are at home, go to youtube logical positivism radio 4. Listen and make notes on logical positivism (verification principle)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heTZPZhw2k0

Textbook – pages 227-230

Philosophy of Religion (Cole) Chapter 11(This is a slightly harder read)

Research Ayer & the WEAK Verification Principle

Preparation from Religious Language Booklet – Falsification Principle

So… can religious

language be

meaningful?

According to the verification

principle, can religious

language be

verifiable…..why?