1.10.6
Discussion Points: Aquinas vs Wittgenstein
Comparing Wittgenstein and Aquinas' Theories
Comparing Wittgenstein and Aquinas' Theories
Aquinas and Wittgenstein agree on God's unknowable nature and that religious language has to be understood in particular ways. They disagree about religious language as fact.
Wittgenstein: life commitment
Wittgenstein: life commitment
- Ludwig Wittgenstein argued that religious language isn’t just the asserting of facts, but a commitment to a way of life.
- So it would seem that Wittgenstein's non-cognitive approach makes more sense than a cognitive approach. This is because much of the language used to describe the nature of God is metaphysical and beyond our realm of understanding.
Aquinas: factual statements
Aquinas: factual statements
- In Aquinas' view, religious language puts forward factual statements about supernatural reality.
- This fits with most believers' understanding of what they are doing when they say God exists – they are asserting a fact.
- For example, when a religious person claims that God is omnipotent, they are aiming to say factually that God is all-powerful.
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
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1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
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