RS Religious Language

Seite 1

Questions: ....

a) Is religious language meaningful?

b) What is the best way of using language to convey truth / understanding about God?

Terminology

Cognitive statement - statement of fact. Verify or falsify with use of empirical evidence. Eg. I am wearing a dress.

Non cognitive statement - not a factual statement. Cannot verify with empirical evidence. Symbolic. Doesn't mean not true. Not taken literally. Eg. she wears the trousers. She has a black heart.

Realist view of language - a statement is true if it corresponds with objective reality. Assumes there is an objective reality that can be known. Statement true if corresponds with reality. Eg, there is a God if there is a God.