Transubstantiation after Wittgenstein

Catholic doctrine of the eucharist is commonly thought to incorporate a metaphysical theory of substance. Wittgenstein subverts such theories. Elizabeth Anscombe and Michael Dummett, much respected post-Wittgensteinian philosophers, who are also deeply committed Catholics, argue that substance/accidents metaphysics as well as modern transignification theories prevent the religious events to stand on their own: the moment of consecration, the reservation of the consecrated elements. Bad theories which occlude the religious realities are thus removed—which does not show that all philosophizing about religious doctrine must be "rubbish".     

It’s not just “us” versus “them”: Moving beyond binary perspectives on intergroup processes

ABSTRACT

The social psychology of intergroup relations has emerged largely from studies of how one group of people (e.g., whites) think and feel about another (e.g., blacks). By reducing the social world to binary categories, this approach has provided an effective and efficient methodological framework. However, it has also obscured important features of social relations in historically divided societies. This paper highlights the importance of investigating intergroup relationships involving more than two groups and of exploring not only their psychological but also their political significance. Exemplifying this argument, we discuss the conditions under which members of disadvantaged groups either dissolve into internecine competition or unite to challenge the status quo, highlighting the role of complex forms of social comparison, identification, contact, and third-party support for collective action. Binary conceptualizations of intergroup relations, we conclude, are the product of specific sociohistorical practices rather than a natural starting point for psychological research.