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| Stormy, earlier this week, colourized photo |
LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York.
Chapter III
The Essential Logical Structure Continued
Cited
'Such a range of general subject mater-of terms and relation that may enter together into our thoughts-is called a content. Whatever lies outside a given content is felt to be irrelevant, incapable of adding anything but sheer nonsense.' (65).
'In ordinary thinking, the content is indefinite, mutable, and tacitly assumed.' (65).
'But in the sciences, which study the interrelations of elements within certain limited, definite realms of reality, or in logic. which deals with any given realm, and studies the possible means of making sense out of its constituents, we cannot do with a vague, indefinite, tacitly accepted context. If we want to build up an elaborate conceptual structure, we must have recognizable concepts, not subjective and incommunicable mental pictures.' (65).
Langer then states:
'For example, it is immaterial whether you imagine "absolute zero".' (66). Any mental pictures would be merely personal symbols of a concept. (66). The author admits that persons will have due to psychological factors, different conceptions of something. (66).
But she differentiates between:
Conceptions of something
&
Concepts of something
The authors calls conceptions the mental image or symbol. Concepts are the 'abstractable, public, essential form'. (66).
In my reasoning, based on this text, conception (s) is primarily subjective reasoning, while concept (s) is primarily objective reasoning.
C1 v C2 (Conception versus Concept, my add)
C1=subjective
C2=objective
This distinction is useful with the concept of 'God'.
Personalized religion (P)
P=C1
Academic religious studies (A)
A=C2
These sets are not exhaustively accurate or true, but are significantly accurate in the context of this review.
Religious studies, theology, biblical studies and philosophy of religion are legitimate academic disciplines within higher education, as are the sciences.
Private and personalized religion mainly arises from conceptions about God and is therefore primarily based on subjective, as opposed to objective reasoning.
Religious studies, theology, biblical studies and philosophy of religion place more emphasis on concepts about God and therefore are primarily based on objective as opposed to subjective reasoning.
Personally, I do have conceptions in regard to God, but my Christian faith and philosophy is primarily based on biblical, theological and philosophical concepts which I attempt to understand in context.
The danger of a vague context exists with religious content, as subjective conceptions do not necessarily equate to actual true, objective concepts in regard to God, both practically and academically. Therefore, to use Langer's type of language, it is immaterial what is imagined about God, rather recognizable concepts, Scriptural, biblical revelation being the most documented source, are essential to reasoning in regard to God.
