Wittgenstein's Lingering Legacy
Author | : Darrell E. Dooyema (Jr.) |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 217 |
Release | : 2014 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:880945025 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (25 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Ludwig Wittgenstein's life and philosophy powerfully illustrates that ideas have consequences. Though he only published one book during his lifetime, Wittgenstein's ideas exert a powerful influence over Western thought, especially in the American university campus. His theory of language games insistently separates reason from faith, by restricting meaning to the way we use words and isolating different language games from one another. His view has profoundly influenced the idea that faith has no place in academia and that critical thinking should remain separate from campus ministry. As a result, students lack basic knowledge of natural theology, have weak trust in the reliability of truth, and display minimal confidence in speaking about faith. This project represents a philosophical response to his theory demonstrating its insufficiency as a way of viewing the world, a theological response representing the biblical view, and a practical response intended to address this issue among college students in our own ministry. The results of this project suggest that teaching natural theology to college students in a dynamic and interactive setting can help to gain knowledge, increase trust in the truth, and bolster confidence in speaking about faith.