Religious Symbols

Bibliographic Data

ID4079455
AuthorsDaniel Whistler (0000-0002-8662-3211, University of Liverpool, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume11
Issue11
Pages730-742
Publication date2016-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhilosophy Compass (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1747-9991 • E-ISSN: 1747-9991
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/phc3.12353
OpenAlexW2549311348
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited37

In this essay, I survey the different uses of the concept of the symbol at play in the philosophy of religion. Considering that historically theories of the symbol have frequently had significant religious presuppositions and implications, I suggest that one might expect that the symbol would play a significant role in current research. This is not the case, however, since the very specific metaphysical, linguistic and theological premises that have traditionally informed much theorisation of the symbol tend to be unpopular today. The main exception is Peircean symbolics which has recently been re-appropriated by a variety of philosophical fields, including philosophy of religion. To open up further contexts for contemporary deployments of the symbol, I look to contemporary public and legal debates concerning the right to wear religious symbols as an area of research unjustly neglected by philosophers of religion: much of the inchoate conceptual work being done in the legal cases themselves would naturally feed into academic philosophical discussion of the symbol

Epistemology · Linguistics · Metaphysics · Presupposition · Sociology · Computer Science · Karl Barth and Christian Theology · Philosophy · Pragmatism in Philosophy and Education · Study and Philosophy of Religion

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