Religion v Science

Question 1

What is the different between religion and science?

Answer 1

• Science can prove base on evidence
• Science is a Open belief system
• Science subject to falsification and testing
• Science Independent of state government
• Religion can’t prove base on faith
• Religion is a Close belief system
• Religion accepted on Blind faith
• Religion often closely linked to the state

Question 2

Comte/Aldridge:States of Society experience in 3 ways?

Answer 2

1) Theological-Everything supernatural ideology
2)Metaphysical-Kings and Queen were worshiped
3)Positive stage-seeing things in a different light

Question 3

What is an Open belief system?

Answer 3

can be open to scrutiny criticism and testing by others e.g.science is open to testing hypothesis

Question 4

What is closed system?

Answer 4

Cannot be challenged because it is ‘divine’ i.e God is real and this cannot be challenged.This is seen to be the absolute

Question 5

What is religion as a closed system?

Answer 5

• Popper-Religion is a closed system
• Popper-religion is not based on theories and cannot be falsified
• Popper-religion is not cumulative it is not seen as the absolute truth and stays the same
• Horton-it contains ‘clauses’ that prevent it from being disproved in the eyes of believers

Question 6

What is science as a closed system?

Answer 6

• Popper-Science is open to criticism and scrutiny
• Popper-Science is based on theories and can be falsified
• Popper-science is cumulative which means it can be built upon

Question 7

What is Religion as a closed system?

Answer 7

• Religion is able to adapt to social change
• Herberg:May dilute belief to stay relevant-known as internal secularisation e.g. pope blessing same sex marriage

Question 8

What is Science as an Open system?

Answer 8

• Kuhn:Science is based on a single paradigm which is ridiculed if challenged
• some things in science cannot be challenged and always stay the same e.g. the concept of gravity

Question 9

Polanyi says In order to protect themselves from challenge, close system have 3 main tendencies?

Answer 9

1)Circidarity-explains religious ideas by using other religious components e.g. praying for an interview not getting the Job
2)Subsidiary explanations-religious teachers redirect focus when challenged with some sort of explanation so they don’t contradict themselves
3)Denial of legitimacy to rivals-Regret rival beliefs to show followers that they only possible answer

Question 10

Merton CUDOS?

Answer 10

Communism – scientific knowledge must be shared so it can grow.
Universalism – scientific knowledge is judged by universal
Disinterestedness – scientist should publish honest findings with no fraud or subjective bias
Organised Sceptism – all knowledge is open to scrutiny