1. Language Games L/O: To understand and be able to explain clearly what is meant by the term Language Games Starter: Recapping Myth and Symbol. Get into two groups and create a question for the other group on either myth or symbol.

2. Who was Wittgenstein? Ludwig Wittgenstein (1886-1951) is often heralded as one of the greatest philosophers of the Twentieth Century. Born to a rich family, both of his parents were Jewish. He was the youngest of 8 children. 3 of his 4 brother took their own lives, the other, despite losing an arm during WWI was a world famous pianist.

3. Wittgenstein’s life continued. He attend school with Hitler and it is believed that they did not get on. It has been suggested that Hitler’s dislike of Jews was sparked by his conflict with Wittgenstein. He spent the majority of his life lecturing Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. He was a firm believer that there are something’s in life that are intelligible to us and others that are not and it is important to accept this.

4. Wittgenstein: The early years. Throughout his life he was heavily involved in the study of Language, how it changes over time, its usage and how we understand it. Wittgenstein also advocated that we should not talk about what we cannot understand, famously sayings: – “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must remain silent.” In short, while things we may not be able to sense or conceptualize some things, they may still have truth or reality, but to conjecture on such points is ultimately meaningless.

5. The early years continued. Originally Wittgenstein set out to demonstrate clearly what one could use language for, and the limits of language. However, Wittgenstein, over the course of his life, realized that he was mistaken in what he originally stated and instead proposed a new, revised theory, that of Language Games.

6. Wittgenstein and God Taking into account what Wittgenstein had previously stated, what do you believe his approach would be towards a Religious Language?

7. What is a Language Game? Ludwig Wittgenstein (1886-1951) saw language in terms of a game. To use language is to participate in game where we know and accept the rules. – This is not to say language is trivial, rather the analogy of a game best highlights the nature of Language.

8. A game of Words For Wittgenstein, the use of language was like partaking in a game, to use a word you have to first understand how it works. – Wittgenstein’s classic example was the game of Chess, you might be told that a piece was called a “King”, but without understanding the rules of Chess, you could never use the piece. He also stated that to argue how language is used is meaningless, if you want to play the game, you must accept the rules. – You cannot play Chess if your opponent is trying to play Checkers.

9. Rules and Meanings What does Wittgenstein mean when he talks of language games? Do we really need to rules to understand the meaning of language? Can we have meaningful interactions with other people without language games?

10. Inside and Outside the Game Wittgenstein suggested that language, and therefore the rules of that language, can be seen from two sides, those who are inside the game and therefore know the rules and those who are outside the game and therefore do not know the rules. – He offers us the following example: Imagine if you found yourself standing the driver’s cabin of a steam train, in front of you would be a large array of controls that you have no understanding of, while the actual driver would understand perfectly. The only way to engage with these controls is to learn through attempting to drive the train.

11. Words and their Contexts Take the word “Result” and describe its meaning for the following groups. – An athlete involved in sport. – A scientist working in a medical laboratory. – A student following an exam. Do you think that Wittgenstein is correct in arguing that we can only understand words in the context of a language game?

12. D. Z. Philips and Religious Language Games The philosopher D. Z. Philips takes the language game theory and applies it to Religious language. – Statements such as “God is Love” and discussions of Religious Experience are to be understood within their language game. As such it can only be judged by those who accept the rules. As such, it is argued, the Religious Language is meaningful to those who genuinely use it.

13. Advantages of Language Game Theory Highlights non-cognitive nature of religious language. Distinguishes it from other types of language Language games provide boundaries for correct use of language Believers can be initialised into the rules of language Defends language against criticism from other forms of life as truth is to be understood as relative and statements judged against their context, not on whether they are inherently or objectively true or false.

14. Weaknesses of the language game theory. Doesn’t allow for believers claims to be empirically tested Religious Language alienates those outside the game Rules of game cannot be changed to allow outsiders in.