Explain what it means to describe religious language as non-cognitive and mythical (30)

A Myth is a story that has a basis in fact. There may be different versions but it is important as a form of religious language because it has its origins in the religious on the specific culture from where it has derived from. A Myth has two main characteristics; 1) the power and importance it holds for the audience and 2) its sticking power. If we are to compare religious language as non-cognitive and mythical then these characteristics must logically also be present.

In order to evaluate the successfulness of religious language as non-cognitive and mythical, we must not look at how effective myth is from the 20th Century mindset, rather the mindset of those of whom myths would have appealed to. The German philosophers used the term 'sitz im leben'. It is all very well for us to approach myth from our modern day perspective, but to truly discover its meaningfulness, we must look at it from a more historical perspective.

An example is the myth of Persephone. It is important because it is an a/etiological myth, or an origin myth. From approaching this myth from the correct sitz im leben, we can understand that it was important because it provided a way of explanation of why the seasons were as they were to the Greco-Roman culture. We can say that this is an example of primitive science.

This example of a myth is non-cognitive becayse it fits the anti-realist view of truth. By applying the correct sitz im leben when evaluating myth, we can see that the myth fit into the Greco-Roman belief of what was true. It cohered to their belief of what was true, because it provided an explanation of the world, regardless of how we may now see it as.

Religious language is also mythical in the sense that thought it may not make sense now, it was meaningful and still is to some, because it provides an explanation for why things are.

Religious language is also mythical because it contains hidden and figurative meanings. Creation myths for example. In Genesis, there is a seeming contradiction with the mention of the 'Spirit of God hovering over the waters'. Rather than literally, this must be taken figuratively. The waters in question did not contradict the 'ex nihilo' beginning but rather stood for a deeper meaning. The waters were the primordial waters and a symbol of chaos or the unknown. Through out understanding of the sitz im leben, we can see that for the early humans the water was dangerous and uncontrollable. Mythologically and figuratively, this religious language shows God's immense power. This meaning would only be revealed by approaching religious language as non-cognitive and mythically.

These hidden meanings are not just confined to creation myths. Heroic myths such as the myth of Rama and Sita in Hindu culture evoke the power of the Sun. Only by looking at this religious language mythologically do we recognise the values the sun embodied and stood for-strength, goodness and life.

Lastly, myths were so powerful because many spoke of the struggle of good vs evil. Similarly, religious language reflects this by demonstrating through mythologically and figurative language this struggle also, allowing it to effect the believer.

25/30

How to plan this essay

So this is how I planned my essay answer. I strongly believe that especially in philosophy, it is essential that you put everything you know on your plan just so that you can structure it logically. Often the best marks are just lost because of a person's expression, rather than lack of knowledge,

So the question asked about how religious language is non-cognitive and mythical.

1) Identify what a myth is. The way I see it, a philosophy essay is essentially putting building blocks of knowledge on top of each other. It took a while for my impulsive brain to realize that and just SLOW down! So explain what it is.

2) say why it is important. This is where i said:

-Basis rooted in fact

-Many versions

-From the religion of the culture.

3) identify the 2 characteristics. It is essential that you put these in. Be careful not to muddle them up with the previous point which is just saying why they are important. We've moved on here to talk about the myths themselves!

-Power and importance

-Sticking power

4) Sitz im leben. Now we need to look at how we can use myths to understand. So say that to see how religious language can be considered mythically, we must not look at it from our perspective but the people who it was aimed at's perspective (very long winded i know)

5) Types! This is where i mash in the knowledge and importance about sitz im leben with an example. So I apply the sitz im liben. I choose to talk about Persephone (a/etiological) If you use this myth, it is essential that you say it is non-cognitive because it fits the anti-realists idea of truth. Why? Because it fit in with their idea of what was truth.

6) talk about creation myths and how myths are figurative and contain hidden truths. It is only once we look at them mythically that these truths can be revealed! Examples, examples. Don't forget them to demonstrate you understand to the examiner.