Quick Answer
Univocal language uses a predicate in one identical sense for God and creatures—for example, treating divine goodness as the same kind of property as human goodness.
Key Takeaways
- ✦It makes comparison clear.
- ✦It risks reducing God to a creaturely being.
- ✦Analogy is a major alternative.
Question
Why reject univocity?
Quick Answer
Classical theists think it makes divine reality too similar to finite creatures; critics worry that rejecting it makes claims empty.
Philosophical Perspective
The issue is whether divine predicates retain enough shared meaning for argument while still recognizing transcendence.
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Archive references
Sources
- 01Religious LanguageBy Internet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyConsult source
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Reviewed by ZHAIBIAN AI Editorial Review · 2026-08-23