Ayer's verification principle

• Verification principle - statements are meaningful if they are either analytic (true by definition) or synthetic (can be tested through observation). All other statements (ethical, theological) are empty of meaning.
• Strong verification - can be immediately proven through empirical experiments or sensory teaching. It is literal and stated in a cognitive way
• Weak verification - A.J Ayer - It is impossible to prove some statements through scientific reasoning, like historical events. These statements are still meaningful, but not as meaningful as statements that can be verified through scientific reasoning. Therefore, things such as historical statements are meaningful, but only in a weak sense
• Weak verification - Scientific knowledge can be used to predict ideas that may be strongly verifiable in the future
• Ayer distinguished between verification in practise and in principle 


  Verification in practise is possibly only when statements can be conclusively established empirically. Verification in principle is possible when it can be stated what observations would make the statement verifiable in practise and doing so could be possible at some point in the future
• Ayer concluded that any statements unverifiable in practise in principle have no factual meaning. He termed any such statement a 'Pseudo-Proposition'. This applies to statements such as 'God exists' or 'God is loving'
• Ayer was not concerned with whether or not religious statements were true. The central claims of theism and atheism alike are neither true nor false; they are simply meaningless and so all talk of them is pointless
• Strengths of Ayers verification principle

  The principle is straightforward, focusing on facts that can be directly or indirectly verified