Ideology science + Religion

Question 1

What are beliefs in society?

Answer 1

-Things we hold true

religious beliefs:
>Belief in supernatural forces dealing w/ fundamental issues of human existence (meaning of life, life after death)

Question 2

What is ideology?

Answer 2

Set of ideas and values shared by a social group that:
1.Provides particular vision + way of seeing world

2.Presents partial , incomplete or false view of reality

3.Expresses and justifies (legitimises) interests of particular soc/political groups

Question 3

What is pluralism?

Answer 3

-Power in society is spread amongst wide range of interest groups + individuals w/ no one having monopoly of power

Question 4

Four common forms of ideology

Answer 4

–> Pluralist
–> Marxist (dominant ideology and hegemony)
–>Patriarchal ideology
–>Political ideologies

Question 5

Pluralist ideology

Answer 5

-Exercise of power in soc reflects broad range of soc interests
-Diff soc groups w/ own ideologies living alongside
-No privileged position of dominating/supressing others + no Dom ideology

-Claims for of superiority over other ideologies
-Denies/conceals unequal distribution of power in soc

Question 6

Marxist ideology

Answer 6

-Ideas ppl hold formed by position in society –> ideology reflects ideas of particular soc groups
-Theres a dominant ideology in society

Question 7

Marxist ideology –>
What do Manheim , Althusser and Gramsci say?

Answer 7

Manheim - dominant ideology –> deliberate obscuring of facts to conceal inequalities of capitalist society + preserve existing patterns of inequality

Althusser - d.i spread thru ideological state apparatuses (soc institutions)

Gramsci - hegemony - rc maintains power by persuading wc to accept rc ideology as part of own beliefs + values
>Consenting to rule of Dom class
>Example : religion as part of dominant ideology establishing hegemony

Question 8

Patriarchal ideology

Answer 8

-Set of ideas supporting/justifying power of men
-Women seen more suited to childcare rather than responsible positions
-Example : religions reflecting patriarchal ideology
-Many ideologies patriarchal protecting interests of men

Question 9

Political ideologies

Answer 9

-One that provides analysis/interps of how soc should work AND how power should be used by Govs to influence events + change society
>Policy making + polictical action

-Broad : nationalism , liberalism , fascism , communism , anarchism

-Specific : Conserv , labour , Green , Lib Dem

Question 10

What is scientism

Answer 10

-Belief system/ideology claiming science+ scientific method alone can provide true knowledge and understanding of world and rejects any alleged truths that cannot be explained by the scientific method.

Question 11

Why do most scientists not subscribe to scientology ?

Answer 11

-Many don’t accept science is ONLY means of understanding world .
Example : can’t provide explanation for human emotional dramas or social phenomena

-May still hold science in high regard and see scientific method as valuable tool in understanding world

Question 12

Popper and the scientific method
5 stages

Answer 12

-Hypothesis formation
-Falsification
-Prediction
-Theory formation
-Scrutiny

SO , open to constant challenge , change and correction as more evidence is soccrected

Question 13

What is poppers scientific method based on and why?

Answer 13

-Falsification
–>No hip can be proven true but one observation can disprove it
–>The more it stands up to such attempts the more likely it is to be a scientific truth

Question 14

Why does Kuhn challenge whether scientists do set out to collect evidence w/ specific aim of falsifying hypothesis ?

Answer 14

-Scientists work within paradigms :
>Set of values ideas beliefs + assumptions about that they’re investigating

Question 15

Whats a paradigm ?

Answer 15

-Like a pair of coloured lenses, colouring their views of nature of problem
-Framework of scientific laws , concepts , theories , methods and assumptions within which scientists operate provide guidelines for conduct of research
-Very rarely called into q until evidence against = overwhelming

Question 16

What do the paradigms mean?

Answer 16

-When hop testing , scientists try to fit findings into existing paradigm rather than attempting to falsify
-Focus on what they are looking and overlook evidence that doesn’t fit
-Those that don’t fit likely to be dismissed due to ‘experimental error’
-Only when there are 2many anomalies will the establishing paradigm change

Question 17

Kurhn : What are scientific revolutions

Answer 17

-Science changes in dramatic leaps resulting in scientific revolutions –> as ne scientific paradigm breaks down when series of discoveries cannot be fitted into dominant paradigm

Question 18

4 other factors suggesting scientific research isn’t objective

Answer 18

1. Values and beliefs of researchers (influences whether issues worth studying)

2.Career aspirations (desire to prove hypocritical right , research lucrative areas)

3.Funding (Research for military or drugs attracts funding comp to help for disabled)

4.Institution within which scientist is working

Question 19

What do the 4 factors suggest ?

Answer 19

-Science in some respects may be form of ideology : justifying interests of mainstream scientific community
-Not always objective , value free + independent of prejudices

Question 20

The functional and inclusivity definition of religion

Answer 20

-Smthg is religious if it performs positive functions for individuals and society
-Relig functions to maintain soc solidarity , bringing ppl together + promoting soc cohesion
-Guidelines for behaviour (Ten Commandments)
-Provides comfort in times of stress and upset
-INCLUSIVE

Question 21

Criticism of functional definition

Answer 21

-Too easy for smthg to count as religion e.g football supporters

Question 22

Criticism of substantive

Answer 22

Interpretivist approach : individuals define religion themselves (smthg is religious if individuals define it as such)
-This means definitions are contested (challenged) e.g Scientology has been widely disputed - followers see it as religion, but many governments do not define it as a religion

Question 23

Criticism of social constructionist definition

Answer 23

-Who decides what a religion is?
-Impossible to generalise about the nature of religion –> everyone has diff views

Question 24

5 features according to substantive / exclusivist definiton

Answer 24

1. Belief in supernatural

2.Theology (set of teaching + beliefs)

3.Practise (series of rituals or ceremonies)

4.Instituions (organisation of worshippers, priests , religious leaders)

5.Consequences (moral or ethical values meant to guide behaviours)

Question 25

Why is religion different to ideology?

Answer 25

-Religious beliefs not tied to interests of particular social group
HOWEVER
-Relig may become part of an ideology as soc group may use it to promote own interests

example : Marx , religion as part of dominant ideology

-Giddens ‘Shared beliefs and rituals that provide sense of ultimate meaning and purpose by creating idea of reality that is sacred , all encompassing and suprnatural’

Question 26

3 Main aspects to religion

Answer 26

-Belief in supernatural
-Faith on part of believers (trust not based on observable falsifiable evidence)
-A body of unchanging truth (certain fundamental beliefs , new discos fitted into these)

Question 27

Open belief system
Popper

Answer 27

-Open to testing , falsifying and questioning so liable change as result
-Popper : science aspire to be open belief system

Question 28

Closed system

Answer 28

-Cannot be disproved as relies on faith rather than empirical evidence
-Assert all embracing and unchanging body of belief