Non-cognitivism in religious faith and language

Non-cognitivism in religious faith and language

Michael LacewingMichael Lacewingenquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.ukenquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk

Michael LacewingMichael Lacewingenquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.ukenquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk

Non-cognitivismNon-cognitivism

‘‘The door is in the corner’ - true or false; The door is in the corner’ - true or false; factual belief; can be known (cognition)factual belief; can be known (cognition)

A different kind of belief: ‘I believe in A different kind of belief: ‘I believe in love’ - expression of a value I hold, not love’ - expression of a value I hold, not something I know (non-cognitive)something I know (non-cognitive)

Is religious language like the first or the Is religious language like the first or the second?second?

‘‘The door is in the corner’ - true or false; The door is in the corner’ - true or false; factual belief; can be known (cognition)factual belief; can be known (cognition)

A different kind of belief: ‘I believe in A different kind of belief: ‘I believe in love’ - expression of a value I hold, not love’ - expression of a value I hold, not something I know (non-cognitive)something I know (non-cognitive)

Is religious language like the first or the Is religious language like the first or the second?second?

Søren KierkegaardSøren Kierkegaard

Religious faith is not a Religious faith is not a philosophical system or set of philosophical system or set of beliefs; it is held passionately.beliefs; it is held passionately.

To believe that God exists, but To believe that God exists, but to treat this as just another fact, to treat this as just another fact, about which we feel nothing, is about which we feel nothing, is not to have faith. Faith isn’t not to have faith. Faith isn’t (just) a matter of what, but of (just) a matter of what, but of howhow, we believe, we believe..

Religious faith is not a Religious faith is not a philosophical system or set of philosophical system or set of beliefs; it is held passionately.beliefs; it is held passionately.

To believe that God exists, but To believe that God exists, but to treat this as just another fact, to treat this as just another fact, about which we feel nothing, is about which we feel nothing, is not to have faith. Faith isn’t not to have faith. Faith isn’t (just) a matter of what, but of (just) a matter of what, but of howhow, we believe, we believe..

Objective uncertaintyObjective uncertainty

The commitment that characterizes faith The commitment that characterizes faith requires a decision, a ‘leap’. This leap requires a decision, a ‘leap’. This leap requiresrequires objective uncertainty. objective uncertainty.

Objective certainty will not have the same Objective certainty will not have the same impact on one’s life as faith in the face of impact on one’s life as faith in the face of uncertainty - perhaps God prevents certainty uncertainty - perhaps God prevents certainty for this reason.for this reason.

The commitment that characterizes faith The commitment that characterizes faith requires a decision, a ‘leap’. This leap requires a decision, a ‘leap’. This leap requiresrequires objective uncertainty. objective uncertainty.

Objective certainty will not have the same Objective certainty will not have the same impact on one’s life as faith in the face of impact on one’s life as faith in the face of uncertainty - perhaps God prevents certainty uncertainty - perhaps God prevents certainty for this reason.for this reason.

Is faith irrational?Is faith irrational?

Faith is ‘incomprehensible’, but it is not Faith is ‘incomprehensible’, but it is not irrational: we ‘cannot believe nonsense irrational: we ‘cannot believe nonsense against the understanding… because the against the understanding… because the understanding will penetratingly perceive that understanding will penetratingly perceive that it is nonsense and hinder [us] in believing it’.it is nonsense and hinder [us] in believing it’.

Religious faith in its trust and commitment is Religious faith in its trust and commitment is ‘incomprehensible’ in that it lies outside the ‘incomprehensible’ in that it lies outside the limits that reason can reach for itself.limits that reason can reach for itself.

Faith is ‘incomprehensible’, but it is not Faith is ‘incomprehensible’, but it is not irrational: we ‘cannot believe nonsense irrational: we ‘cannot believe nonsense against the understanding… because the against the understanding… because the understanding will penetratingly perceive that understanding will penetratingly perceive that it is nonsense and hinder [us] in believing it’.it is nonsense and hinder [us] in believing it’.

Religious faith in its trust and commitment is Religious faith in its trust and commitment is ‘incomprehensible’ in that it lies outside the ‘incomprehensible’ in that it lies outside the limits that reason can reach for itself.limits that reason can reach for itself.

Is Kierkegaard a non-cognitivist?Is Kierkegaard a non-cognitivist?

There are facts about God, but we There are facts about God, but we cannot know these facts using reason.cannot know these facts using reason.

Religious faith must involve an Religious faith must involve an emotional response.emotional response.

So religious language is expressive, not So religious language is expressive, not merelymerely fact-stating. fact-stating.

There are facts about God, but we There are facts about God, but we cannot know these facts using reason.cannot know these facts using reason.

Religious faith must involve an Religious faith must involve an emotional response.emotional response.

So religious language is expressive, not So religious language is expressive, not merelymerely fact-stating. fact-stating.

Ludwig WittgensteinLudwig Wittgenstein

Language can be Language can be compared to gamescompared to games Both are guided by rules Both are guided by rules

- what you can do, what - what you can do, what words meanwords mean

The meaning of words The meaning of words lies in how they are usedlies in how they are used

Cp. ‘the peace of the Cp. ‘the peace of the Lord passes Lord passes understanding; ‘the car understanding; ‘the car passes the house’passes the house’

Language can be Language can be compared to gamescompared to games Both are guided by rules Both are guided by rules

- what you can do, what - what you can do, what words meanwords mean

The meaning of words The meaning of words lies in how they are usedlies in how they are used

Cp. ‘the peace of the Cp. ‘the peace of the Lord passes Lord passes understanding; ‘the car understanding; ‘the car passes the house’passes the house’

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‘Language games’‘Language games’

Examples: asking, thanking, cursing, Examples: asking, thanking, cursing, praying, greetingpraying, greeting

A language game is the spoken aspect A language game is the spoken aspect of a ‘form of life’; a form of life is a whole of a ‘form of life’; a form of life is a whole collection of cultural practices, but collection of cultural practices, but Wittgenstein also emphasises its Wittgenstein also emphasises its biological basisbiological basis

Examples: asking, thanking, cursing, Examples: asking, thanking, cursing, praying, greetingpraying, greeting

A language game is the spoken aspect A language game is the spoken aspect of a ‘form of life’; a form of life is a whole of a ‘form of life’; a form of life is a whole collection of cultural practices, but collection of cultural practices, but Wittgenstein also emphasises its Wittgenstein also emphasises its biological basisbiological basis

ReligionReligion

Religion involves many language Religion involves many language games, but not a whole form of lifegames, but not a whole form of life

A distinctive part of a distinctively A distinctive part of a distinctively human form of life; rooted in natural human form of life; rooted in natural human responseshuman responses

Religion involves many language Religion involves many language games, but not a whole form of lifegames, but not a whole form of life

A distinctive part of a distinctively A distinctive part of a distinctively human form of life; rooted in natural human form of life; rooted in natural human responseshuman responses

Religious languageReligious language

Religious language governed by quite different Religious language governed by quite different rules, e.g. asking God and asking your boss for rules, e.g. asking God and asking your boss for prosperityprosperity

‘‘God exists’ - God is not a ‘thing’God exists’ - God is not a ‘thing’ ‘‘a religious belief could only be something like a a religious belief could only be something like a

passionate commitment to a system of passionate commitment to a system of reference. Hence, although it’s a reference. Hence, although it’s a beliefbelief, it’s , it’s really a way of living, or a way of assessing life. really a way of living, or a way of assessing life. It’s passionately seizing hold of It’s passionately seizing hold of thisthis interpretation.” (interpretation.” (Culture and ValueCulture and Value 64) 64)

Religious language is not descriptive, but Religious language is not descriptive, but expressiveexpressive

Religious language governed by quite different Religious language governed by quite different rules, e.g. asking God and asking your boss for rules, e.g. asking God and asking your boss for prosperityprosperity

‘‘God exists’ - God is not a ‘thing’God exists’ - God is not a ‘thing’ ‘‘a religious belief could only be something like a a religious belief could only be something like a

passionate commitment to a system of passionate commitment to a system of reference. Hence, although it’s a reference. Hence, although it’s a beliefbelief, it’s , it’s really a way of living, or a way of assessing life. really a way of living, or a way of assessing life. It’s passionately seizing hold of It’s passionately seizing hold of thisthis interpretation.” (interpretation.” (Culture and ValueCulture and Value 64) 64)

Religious language is not descriptive, but Religious language is not descriptive, but expressiveexpressive

Phillips: defending WittgensteinPhillips: defending Wittgenstein Wittgenstein isolates religion from all rational Wittgenstein isolates religion from all rational

criticismcriticism ‘‘Religion has something to say about… birth, death, Religion has something to say about… birth, death,

joy, misery, despair, hope, fortune, and misfortune.’ If joy, misery, despair, hope, fortune, and misfortune.’ If religion doesn’t help us make sense of these, we are religion doesn’t help us make sense of these, we are right to reject it.right to reject it.

However, religion cannot be criticised as ‘not true’ However, religion cannot be criticised as ‘not true’ - it does not make factual claims. Religious - it does not make factual claims. Religious language takes its meaning from religious life.language takes its meaning from religious life.

To think ‘God’ is the name of a thing or exists To think ‘God’ is the name of a thing or exists independently of religion is a ‘monstrous illusion’independently of religion is a ‘monstrous illusion’

Wittgenstein isolates religion from all rational Wittgenstein isolates religion from all rational criticismcriticism ‘‘Religion has something to say about… birth, death, Religion has something to say about… birth, death,

joy, misery, despair, hope, fortune, and misfortune.’ If joy, misery, despair, hope, fortune, and misfortune.’ If religion doesn’t help us make sense of these, we are religion doesn’t help us make sense of these, we are right to reject it.right to reject it.

However, religion cannot be criticised as ‘not true’ However, religion cannot be criticised as ‘not true’ - it does not make factual claims. Religious - it does not make factual claims. Religious language takes its meaning from religious life.language takes its meaning from religious life.

To think ‘God’ is the name of a thing or exists To think ‘God’ is the name of a thing or exists independently of religion is a ‘monstrous illusion’independently of religion is a ‘monstrous illusion’

ObjectionObjection

Non-cognitivism is a reinterpretation of Non-cognitivism is a reinterpretation of religious belief and language, not an religious belief and language, not an analysis of it - religious believers think analysis of it - religious believers think ‘God exists’ is a ‘God exists’ is a factfact, likewise that they , likewise that they will exist in heaven after deathwill exist in heaven after death

Religious language could have both Religious language could have both cognitive and non-cognitive aspects - it cognitive and non-cognitive aspects - it can be both factual and expressivecan be both factual and expressive

Non-cognitivism is a reinterpretation of Non-cognitivism is a reinterpretation of religious belief and language, not an religious belief and language, not an analysis of it - religious believers think analysis of it - religious believers think ‘God exists’ is a ‘God exists’ is a factfact, likewise that they , likewise that they will exist in heaven after deathwill exist in heaven after death

Religious language could have both Religious language could have both cognitive and non-cognitive aspects - it cognitive and non-cognitive aspects - it can be both factual and expressivecan be both factual and expressive