the verification principle was developed by Ayer and Schlick
verification principle = the meaning of the statement is in its method of verification
VP: there are 2 types of meaningful language:
analytic statements are true by definition
synthetic statements are empirically true
all other statements (ethical, theological, aesthetic) are empty of meaning
VP: a statement is only meaningful if it is analytic + empirically verifiable
unless you can empirically prove something, it is not meaningful
Ayer: theism + atheism are equally nonsense, since neither can be shown to be true on the basis of evidence
the falsification principle was develop by Flew from the thinking of Popper
FP centres around the statement:
something can be counted as scientific only if it is possible that there could be evidence to falsify it
Parable of the Gardener (FP)
the gardener = God
the first explorer = theists; the second explorer = atheists/agnostics
the garden = the world
no empirical tests show that the gardener is present
the believer will allow nothing to falsify his belief that there is a gardener - in the same way theists do with God: thus, statements about God are vacuous (empty, meaningless)
if you do not admit there is some kind of evidence that could falsify your belief, you may as well believe any nonsense
FP: religious statements undergo "death of a thousand qualifications"
