Category
JFL, Scholars Lounge (380)
Description
The claim that the Bible has objective meaning is contested in a postmodern world. Many theologians and philosophers have sought to address this critique. One such philosopher is Nicholas Wolterstorff, who makes use of speech-act theory to defend authorial-discourse interpretation. His case is especially presented in his work, Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim that God Speaks. But theologians and philosophers are not the only ones concerned with the nature of meaning. As such, the assertion that the biblical texts have objective meaning can be more persuasively defended when it is addressed by insights from multiple disciplines. In particular, the field of computer science is apt to illuminate the concept of meaning through its reflection on the nature of languages and its concern with the accurate transmission of information. This research argues that principles from the field of computer science can be synthesized with principles from Wolterstorff’s use of speech-act theory to more effectively defend the claim that the biblical text has objective meaning. Claude Shannon’s work, The Mathematical Theory of Communication provides insight into the nature of communication in the presence of noise. Further useful insights from the discipline of computer science include those relating to linguistic semantics and the nature of language translation. By synthesizing insights from the field of computer science with Nicholas Wolterstorff’s use of speech-act theory, the concept of meaning can be understood more clearly. Consequently, this synthesis assists in answering questions regarding the nature of meaning and objectivity as they pertain to the biblical text. Further research opportunities include comparing the synthesized account of language with other accounts such as that of Jacques Derrida.
Bytes, Banter, and the Bible: An Interdisciplinary Account of Objective Meaning
JFL, Scholars Lounge (380)
The claim that the Bible has objective meaning is contested in a postmodern world. Many theologians and philosophers have sought to address this critique. One such philosopher is Nicholas Wolterstorff, who makes use of speech-act theory to defend authorial-discourse interpretation. His case is especially presented in his work, Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim that God Speaks. But theologians and philosophers are not the only ones concerned with the nature of meaning. As such, the assertion that the biblical texts have objective meaning can be more persuasively defended when it is addressed by insights from multiple disciplines. In particular, the field of computer science is apt to illuminate the concept of meaning through its reflection on the nature of languages and its concern with the accurate transmission of information. This research argues that principles from the field of computer science can be synthesized with principles from Wolterstorff’s use of speech-act theory to more effectively defend the claim that the biblical text has objective meaning. Claude Shannon’s work, The Mathematical Theory of Communication provides insight into the nature of communication in the presence of noise. Further useful insights from the discipline of computer science include those relating to linguistic semantics and the nature of language translation. By synthesizing insights from the field of computer science with Nicholas Wolterstorff’s use of speech-act theory, the concept of meaning can be understood more clearly. Consequently, this synthesis assists in answering questions regarding the nature of meaning and objectivity as they pertain to the biblical text. Further research opportunities include comparing the synthesized account of language with other accounts such as that of Jacques Derrida.
Comments
Undergraduate