belief and ideology Flashcards
religion as a closed belief system
religion is often seen as a closed system of belief as they often suggest that they know the truth about the world and do not tolerate those that criticise that truth. they can be very conservative in their beliefs and not wish to change
religion as an open system
Herberg - suggests that some religions are open to change and have diluted their belief systems in order to maintain relevance in modern society. he refers to this process as internal secularisation and uses the acceptance of female Bishops into the Church of England as an example
science as a closed belief system
Kuhn - science runs of paradigms which shape the way the discipline is defined and understood as well as how research is carried out. as this is accepted by the majority, it is hard to change
science as an open belief system
Popper - science is open to challenge and is built upon the idea of falsification. if a theory is proven wrong, it is replaced and the knowledge within the discipline grows
Polanyi - 3 self sustaining beliefs
- denial of legitimacy: complete rejection of the claims of rivals to conceive followers that they alone hold the truth
- subsidiary explanations: get out clauses to explain away criticisms or deflect the argument
- circularity: each idea within the system is explained in terms of another idea within the system
case study: Azande and witchcraft
Evans-Prichard: studied the Azande tribe and shows how their belief system reflects the characteristics of a closed system. their belief in witch craft causing misfortune and the proof coming from a ‘Benge’ potion given to chickens seems irrational to outsiders but is indoctrinated into the tribe and no one questions it
FINISH IDEOLOGY
