How Can We Refer to God?

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2020-05

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Abstract

When we talk about objects in the world, we picture them as existent objects. However, unlike most names, if the word God refers, it does not do so in the same way, other names refer to a physical object. The term God has no image at the result of any causal interaction with God Himself. Nevertheless, we still use the word God in the same way we use any other name, thereby prima facie indicating that it does refer, even if it does so by a different mechanism than other titles. Since we have no image of God other than false images, how is it possible to refer to God? I affirm that the word God refers to through revelation and preserves its referential causal chain through inspiration and forms of life. Although we were not revealed the word of God as the writers of the Bible, through the activities of linguistic communities and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can refer to God.

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Reference, God, Forms of life, Causal chain, Inspiration, Revelation, Communities, Holy Spirit, Name, Philosophy, Religion, Language

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