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