RL

Question 1

Religious cognitivism

Answer 1

The function of religious language is to express propositions which are truth-apt; It expresses propositions/beliefs.

Question 2

Religious non-cognitivism

Answer 2

The function of religious language is not to express propositions which are truth-apt; It does not express propositions/beliefs.

It has a different function instead

Question 3

Ayer’s objection to cognitivism about religious language:

Answer 3

P1: All cognitively meaningful utterances must meet one of two conditions set out in the “verification principle”.

P2: Religious utterances do not meet either condition.

C: Therefore they are not cognitively meaningful.

C: Therefore, religious cognitivism is false.

Question 4

logical positivism

Answer 4

the view that scientific knowledge is the only kind of factual knowledge and that all traditional metaphysical doctrines are to be rejected as meaningless.

Question 5

Hick’s response to Ayer

Answer 5

Hick agrees with Ayer that “God exists” is not empirically verifiable in this life. However, Hick argues that many religious claims are about things beyond the limits of human life. And, he argues, such religious claims are meaningful because it is possible to verify them after we die

Question 6

Eschatological verification

Answer 6

A statement that can be verified after death, or at the end of time.