Introduction to A2 Philosophy

Homework: Background reading – ‘Questions about God.’ – Chapter 4 – God and Language, by Patrick J.

Clarke

At A level, candidates are required to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding, and their ability to sustain a critical line of argument in greater depth and over a wider range of content than at AS level.

Knowledge, understanding and skills are closely linked. Specifications should require that candidates demonstrate the following assessment objectives in the context of the content and skills prescribed. AO1:  Select and demonstrate clearly relevant

knowledge and understanding through the use of evidence, examples and correct language and terminology appropriate to the course of study.

AO2:  Sustain a critical line of argument and justify a point of view.

One question out of 35 marks. You are now expected to evaluate throughout your answer.

Sit back to backOne person in the pair will be

given a picture.They must describe the picture

to the other person without telling them what it is.

The other person must draw the thing that is being described.

What is the purpose of language?

Which pictures were hardest to draw?

1.What difficulties do religious believers face when they are trying to use language to convey ideas such as ‘God’, ‘the soul’, ‘salvation’?

2.How might religious believers communicate their ideas to others in an effective way?

3.What strategies might they employ?4.Is it possible for religious believers to convey

their meaning in such a way that other people will know exactly what they mean?

In this unit, we will cover:The uses and purposes of religious languageThe verification principle as developed by the

Vienna Circle and A J AyerThe Falsification principle of Anthony FlewThe Via Negativa as a means of describing GodThe use of analogy, symbol and myth to

describe GodThe thinking of Ludwig Wittgenstein

1. All swans are white

2. Sheep people yellow

3. Scientists study science

4. Sylvester is a cat

5. Philosophy is fun

6. The wages of sin is death

7. Aheui kdien gg

8. 01100101

9. God is love

10. The King of France is bald

11. I drove my car yesterday

12. Purple dreams sleep furiously

a) For each of the above say whether it is:• True, false or you cannot determine• Meaningful or meaningless

b) By what criteria did you judge that some statements are meaningless? Did it differ for different statements?

c) Which statements are religious?

d) Does the fact that there is no King of France affect your answers concerning statement 10? If so, in what ways?

1. You will get a sheet, with a question and answer on it.

2. Leave your seat and find someone to quiz.

3. The other person will then quiz you

4. If BOTH have answered each others questions CORRECTLY, then give each other a ‘high five.’

5. At the end, SWAP SHEETS, memorise the answer to the new question received and find someone else to quiz.

There will be a MINI-QUIZ at the end to see if you have learnt the answers to all of the questions!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TSJhIZmL0A

UnivocalEquivocalCognitiveNon-cognitive

Read page 11 of A2 blue textbook …

Why such a big deal?Do words mean exactly the same when applied

to God?Do words mean completely different things

when applied to God?Some suggest that because these statements

are not subject to empirical testing, that they are meaningless.