A2 OCR Religious Language.

1. Today’s lesson will be successful if you can:
Explain the Verification Principle
Critique the Verification Principle

2. 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)

3. Starter:
Make a 6 grid Bingo grid with the following words:
Using the words from your glossary, make a
bingo grid with 6 words.
Can you a) recognise
b) explain these words in relation to the Verification Principle

4. Starter:
Sort these into Analytic and Synthetic statements
The table in the kitchen is round
All bachelors are unmarried
Daisies are flowers
Frozen water is ice
All men are arrogant
Two halves make a whole
Triangles have three sides
The president is dishonest

6. The verification principle states that only statements that are
either analytic, or synthetic that are empirically verifiable are
meaningful. All other statements are meaningless.
Love of money is the root of all evil
There is life on other planets
God is Good
There are 180 degrees in a triangle
Dog’s bark
God exists Jesus lived
Hurray
I will go to heaven when I die
Which of these statements are empirically verifiable?

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

8. 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!

9. Ideas for extra study
Homework 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