beliefs Flashcards
Durkheim (Religion, science and ideology)
‘any belief system can be defined as religious if it functions to inspire individuals.’
Merton (Religion, science and ideology)
Science can only thrive as a major social institution if it receives support from other institutions and values. CUDOS norms: communism, universalism, disinterestedness, organised scepticism.
Popper (Religion, science and ideology)
Science is an open belief system. This is because science is governed by the principle of falsificationism.
Kuhn (Religion, science and ideology)
Science is a closed belief system. mature science is based on a set of shared assumptions that he calls a paradigm. The paradigm tells scientists what reality is like, what problems to study
Mannheim (Religion, science and ideology)
Distinguishes between ideological and utopian thought. Ideological thought justifies keeping things as they are,
Utopian thought justifies social change. Mannheim sees Marxism as an example of utopian thought.
Woolgar (Religion, science and ideology)
a scientific fact is simply a social construction or belief that scientists are able to persuade their colleagues to share e.g little green men
F- Durkheim (theories of religion)
religious institutions maintain value consensus, order and solidarity. Distinguished between the sacred and the profane (rituals)
F- Malinowski (theories of religion)
religion promotes solidarity by performing psychological functions for individuals, helping them cope
with emotional stress that would undermine social solidarity.
F- Parsons (theories of religion)
two essential functions of religion society: legitimates society’s basic norms and values by sacralising them; this promotes value consensus and social stability. It provides a source of meaning, answering ‘ultimate’ questions about life
F- Bellah (theories of religion)
Civil religion- religion unifies society, especially a multi-faith society like America. What unifies American society is an overarching civil religion
M- Marx (theories of religion)
Marxists see religion as dulling the pain of class exploitation and as fostering false consciousness (opium of the masses)
MN- Gramsci (theories of religion)
dual nature of religion- the ruling class maintain their control over society through ideas rather than simply through coercion (force). However, in some circumstances religion can challenge the ruling class – leaders can support WC
NM- Bloch (theories of religion)
dual nature of religion- sees religion as having a dual character. religion often inhibits change, but argues that it can also inspire protest and rebellion. Religion is an expression of ‘the principle of hope’
NM- Maduro (theories of religion)
religion as a force for social change- argues that Liberation Theology (LT) shows religion can be a revolutionary force. LT helped bring about democracy, not threaten capitalism
Althusser (theories of religion)
rejects the concept of alienation as unscientific. This would make the concept an inadequate basis for a theory of religion.
Weber (theories of religion)
argues the Protestant ethic contributed to the birth of capitalism.
Fe- Woodhead (theories of religion)
much traditional religion is patriarchal, this is not true of all religion. There are ‘religious forms of feminism’ (hijab)
Fe- De Beauvoir (theories of religion)
religion is used by men to oppress women and to compensate for them for the second-class status. De Beauvoir argued that historically, men, who have traditionally controlled most institutions in society, also control religion.
Fe- El Sadaawi (theories of religion)
religious patriarchy is the result of patriarchal forms of society shaping religion.
Fe- Daly (theories of religion)
Christianity is a set of patriarchal myths e.g God is portrayed as a man.
Fe- Armstrong (theories of religion)
sees women’s exclusion from the priesthoods of most religions as evidence of their marginalisation (stained glass ceiling)
M- Lenin (theories of religion)
religion as an ideology- spiritual gin
Durkheim (religion and social change)
Conservative- see religion as a conservative force because it functions to maintain social stability and prevent
society from disintegrating
Marx (religion and social change)
Conservative- sees religion as a conservative ideology that prevents social change. By legitimating exploitation and inequality, it creates false consciousness in the working class and prevents revolution