Verification and Falsification

Explain cognitive language

Language that expresses a belief. i.e., ‘the table is made of wood’

Explain non-cognitive language

Language not expressing a belief. i.e., saying ‘ow’ when you are hurt

Is religious language cognitive or non-cognitive?

There is debate; religious people argue non-cognitive, as they simply feel God exists. But non-religious people argue they believe in God’s existence and it isn’t just ‘felt’ so it’s cognitive.

Explain logical positivism

‘Positivism’ refers to use of empirical data. ‘Logical’ refers to language and the philosophical method of trying to impose precise clarity on language through analysis.

Who created Positivism?

Comte

Who created the philosophical method of logical clarity in language?

Russel

What do logical positivists claim about language?

They claim that only scientific language is meaningful as it alone can be shown through analysis to refer to reality.

Explain Verificationism

Only that which can be completely verified and explained is true. For example, if the world can agree what is meant by the word ‘table’ but not ‘God’, then a table is real and God is not.

Who invented Verificationism

The Vienna circle

What are the strengths of the verification principle? (2 strengths)

• Fits with scientific understanding of reality

• Theory was strengthened by Ayer

How did Ayer strengthen the verification principle?

Weak verification suggested we can ‘verify’ something as the most likely option, for example drawing conclusions based on historical documents.

What are the weaknesses of the ‘Weak’ verification principle?

‘Weak verification’ is similar to the teleological argument, as it attempts to infer God’s existence as the most likely conclusion.

What is Ayers final version of the verification principle?

Direct and indirect verification

Explain direct verification

A statement verified by observation and factual

Explain indirect verification

When a direct verification supports a statement which we haven’t directly verified but in principle know how to verify, i.e., ‘This key is made of iron’

Criticisms of Verification principle? (3 points)

• The idea of ‘meaning’ is metaphysical not necessarily verifiable

• Quine concluded modern ‘verificationism’ is just Aristotelian metaphysics (renaming rational thought as logical positivism?)

• We cannot fully explain ‘rationality’ or ‘logic’ either`

Positive impact of verification principle on religious language debate?

Verification broke through stalemate of neither atheists nor theists being able to prove either side- saying it doesn’t matter because it’s meaningless.

Outline Hick’s verification

Hick argued we’ll be able to verify God’s existence when we’re dead

Give a strength of Hick’s view on verification

He doesn’t need to actually undermine verificationism itself, only Ayer’s claim that religious language is unverifiable.

Strengths of the verification principle’s application to language? (2 strengths)

• Refers to reality which is able to be tested

• Based on reasonable claims about meaning that fits with existing understanding

Weakness of verification principles?

Self defeating (the verification principle isn’t empirically verifiable itself)

Outline Falsificationism?

A claim/belief is falsifiable if we can imagine what could prove it false, i.e., if it is incompatible with some conceivable state of affairs.

Who originated Falsificationism?

Karl Popper

Outline Flew’s application of Falsificationism to religious language

Religious language asserts claims about reality. All these beliefs about reality could be false (empiricism is true). So, a belief that cannot be imagined to be false, cannot be about reality. Religious belief cannot be imagined to be false. Therefore, religious language fails to express beliefs about reality.

What example did Flew use to illustrate his point?

Parable of the gardener

Strengths of religious language as falsifiable? (2 points)

• Parable of the gardener

• God of the gaps

Weaknesses of religious language as falsifiable? (2 points)

• Religious belief is falsifiable (if we found something suggesting Jesus was not real, etc)

• Atheism is also technically unfalsifiable?