Ideology and Science Flashcards
what is a belief system
A belief system is a set of principles that helps us understand the world and reality. Both religion and science has given us the tools to understand the world and reality. However, they both have had negative effects on the world. Science is seen as an open belief system and religion as a closed belief system
sociologist behind science as an open belief system
pooper
merton
science as an open belief system
Pooper argues that science is an open belief system, as the findings of every scientist are open to criticism and falsification, that is scientists set out to try and prove falsely existing theories, deliberately seeking evidence that would disprove them. Scientific knowledge is cumulative - it builds on previous findings to gain a better understanding of the world. Science is never 100% true there is every possibility that science will produce evidence to disprove it. For example, scientists originally agreed the sun revolved around the earth but Copernicus provided evidence to show this knowledge claim to be false. In popper’s view, the key thing about scientific knowledge is that it is not sacred or absolute truth, it can be questioned, criticises, tested and proven false
The CUDOS norms
Merton argues that science can only thrive as a major social institution if it receives support from other institutions and values. Merton also argues that scientists tend to be unified by the same norms and values, work culture that serve the goal of increasing scientific knowledge
CUDOS norms in full
Communism - scientists believe they should share their findings with everyone so understanding can grow
Universalism - Research should be objective and not influenced by the individual scientists
Disinterestedness - Science acts in the interest of society, not in the interest of the individual scientist
Organised scepticism - Every idea is open to questioning, criticism and objective investigation
sociologist behind religion as a closed belief system
Horton
evan pritchard
religion as a closed belief system
According to Horton, religion claims to hold absolute truths given to us by God. This means God’s work cannot be challenged as it is perfect information and those who do not may be punished for heresy, unlike scientific knowledge it is fixed and doesn’t grow. They make knowledge claims that cannot be successfully overturned. When someone attempts to challenge it or disprove the word of religion or magic, the organisation uses ‘get out clauses’ to prevent being proven wrong.
study of religion as a closed belief system
Evans Pritchard’s study of the Azante people illustrates Horton’s idea of a closed belief system. The Azante people believed witchcraft caused misfortune to their tribe. Witchcraft could have been initiated by a bad neighbour or friend - the case would be brought to the prince who would ask an oracle to determine witchcraft. Benge would be given to a chicken and if it died this proved the practice of witchcraft. The Azante were resistant to challenges to their beliefs in witchcraft. Non-believers would argue the poison would have killed the chicken regardless of their beliefs. But the Azante want to believe in witchcraft so the belief cannot be challenged, they would respond to such claims by saying the Benge tested was simply a bad batch as they are trapped in their own idiom of belief.
self-sustaining belief systems
Some belief systems are self-sustaining according to Polanyi, people continue to believe them even if proven wrong
3 reasons why belief systems are self-sustaining beliefs
- Circularity - each idea is explained in terms of another idea within the system
- Subsidiary explanation - explaining away counter arguments
- Denial of Legitimacy - Rejection of other world views - rejection of evolution by creationists
sociologist behind sciece as a closed belief system
Kuhn
knorr-centina
science as a closed belief system
Kuhn argues that science is a closed belief system because it operates on paradigms. Scientists have assumptions of what reality is like, what counts as evidence, what counts as science, what problems to study. The paradigm lays down the broad outlines and scientists fill in the gaps. For scientists to be successful, they have to accept certain ideas e.g gravity and evolution and work within those paradigms
interpretivism - science as a closed belief system
They argue that all knowledge including scientific knowledge is socially constructed. Rather than being objective truth, it is created by social groups using the resources available to them. Scientific facts are a product of shared theories or paradigms that tell them what they should expect to see and the particular instruments to use. Knorr-Centina argues that scientists fabricate new facts, what they study in the laboratory is highly constructed that scientists have to persuade their colleagues to share that thing which doesn’t necessarily exist.
scientific knowledge
Science produces knowledge and understanding about the world which is around us. Popper and Merton see this as a positive thing as it can help us understand how the world works. Interpretivists, Marxists, Feminists and PM argue that this knowledge is far from perfect or accurate.
interpretivists and scientific knowledge
Knorr-Centina argues that scientific knowledge is a social construct. It is not objectively true, but is invented. EG the theory of evolution is only a theory not a fact. Woolgair argues that scientists are attempting to collect evidence and understand the world the way as everyone else. EG scientists can collect evidence but it is up to humans to decide what that evidence means. EG the discovery of Pulsars were initially referred to as Little Green Men. The scientific company found this term unacceptable so they referred to them as unknown
