Religion as a Family Resemblance
For your second paper, you will write a paper on Ludwig Wittgenstein.
The topic is family
resemblances. What you will be doing is applying this notion to a specific concept—the concept of religion. Here is the main overarching question: What is religion? That is, what is the essence
of religion?
A religion has been defined in all of the following ways:
– A perspective or orientation to life (e.g., being positive rather than negative, viewing
everything as sacred, etc.)
– A specific orientation to life—namely, a moral code and practice
– Mental or spiritual exaltation
– A worldview or ideology—which may include beliefs about god/s, life after death, the
origins of the universe, the purpose of life, etc.
– The belief in a god or gods
– Ritualistic practices—from prayer to dances, ceremonies, dress codes, etc.
– A conjunction of some or all of the above features.
Provide an argument for the claim that religion is a family resemblance concept. (Since
Wittgenstein never says that it is, don’t attribute this claim to him. This is not Wittgenstein’s
view, but the view is Wittgensteinian, for it is an application of his ideas to this concept.)
(1) Be sure that your essay explains terminology: essence, necessary and sufficient conditions,
family resemblance concept, family resemblances, and any other important terms. Use formal
definitions when defining a term. Remember: a formal definition includes a genus and specific
difference.
(2) Be sure that your essay considers the range of essentialist definitions of “religion” described
above—and others, if you find that explaining them is helpful to your case.
(3) Explain why, on a Wittgensteinian account of religion as a family resemblance concept, each
of these definitions fails to capture the essence of religion. You should draw on the notions of
necessary conditions or sufficient conditions in assessing each definition.
(4) Be sure you explain what unifies the concept of religion on a family resemblance analysis of
the concept. That is, answer the question: “If the concept of religion does not have an essence,
why are all the various things that are called ‘religion’ so called? Why use the same word to
describe them all?” Be sure to motivate the family resemblance account.
(5) Extra credit: Offer your own evaluation. Develop an objection to the family resemblance
analysis you have provided, and then offer your own considered evaluation of the objection and
the family resemblance analysis. (You may agree or disagree with Wittgenstein. What matters to
me is that you argue well for your position.)
Use quotes sparingly, cite page numbers to Melchert or Hacker as needed. No bibliography is
needed so long as I know which author your are citing in your paper (use parenthetical
references).
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