Science and Ideology V religion 20 marker Flashcards
define Ideology
is a worldview set of ideas, values and principles shared by a social group.IN other words, it is a belief system. It is a secular set of ideas which provides a particular vision of the world. However, ideology is value laden (biased) and claim the monopoly of the truth and is often seen as a closed system as they reject being challenged or questioned.
Marxism on Ideology
Marxists sees ideology as a set of ideas of a particular, dominant, group in society. As such the r/c ideology reflects the interests of the r/c, which is to maintain capitalism. The r/c ideology maintains capitalism through the superstructure (family,ed,mass media,religion) which maintains social inequality by producing and spreading the r.c ideology which teaches that: Equality will never work bc it is not natural, inequality is inevitable (E.G OF ROLE OF RELIGION) Society is meritocratic (which is actually a myth)- the poor have a chance to improve themselves they just aren't smart enough. So the r/c ideology teaches the w/c to blame themselves for their poverty. (USE B&G OR ALTHUSSER EXAMPLE OF ROLE OF ED) Racism -creates the divide and conquer divisions in society - hatred between black and white workers prevents them from uniting against the r/c Therefore, the r/c ideology prevents a revolution by creating false class conscious The r/c ideology also promotes a consumer culture which encourages the w/c to pursue false needs thus increasing r/c profits However,Marx argued that the w/c were going to develop class conscious and start a revolution which they will overthrow capitalism.
Feminism on ideology
Negative view on ideology like Marxists but it doesn’t protect the r/c ideology instead it acts in the interests of men. The radical feminist, Millet, argues that patriarchal ideology maintains gender inequality in society. For example, patriarchal ideology promotes ideas such as women are more emotional and less intelligent than men , a women’s place is in the home, men are the head of the family, women should be responsible for childcare and housework….all of which subjugate women and make male domination appear normal and natural . Patriarchal ideology works through all institutions. For example, Mark argues that science helps maintain patriarchal ideology e.g in the 19th century, scientists claimed that educating women would make them un-feminine and unable to suckle infants. Therefore, science is not objective, but exists only to maintain men’s dominance over society. Therefore, it is an ideology rather than the objective truth.
Criticism of Feminism on ideology
ignores the extent of gender equality that has been achieved in the last 30 years
Mannheim on ideology
Sees all belief systems as partial or one-sided worldview bc they represent the interests of a particular group in society There are 2 diff types ideological thought - aims to maintain status quo. It reflects the interests of the dominant social group, e.g r/c ideology aims to maintain capitalism and class inequality. Utopian thought- justifies social change. It reflects the interests of the underprivileged social groups e.g. Marxism is an example of utopian thought Mannheim argues that belief systems are created by intellectuals who align themselves with a particular social group. As each belief system is biased and as they are in opposition to each other this causes conflict. The solution is to have free floating intelligentsia detached from both thoughts who could then give us a total worldview.
Criticism of Mannheim on ideology
Often opposing belief systems are pole opposites to each other, it would be impossible to find the middle ground both would agree
Nationalism an example of ideology
Political ideology claims that nation states are real, distinctive communities each with its own distinctive characteristics that should be self-governing. It uses populism to gather support and often represents migrant communities as the other.
criticism on nationalism
Anderson argues that nation states are imagined communities as we will never know most of its members, but the imagined community gives us a sense of common purpose.
Functionalism on Nationalism
Sees nationalism in a positive light, they say it is a secular civil religion. Like religion, nationalism integrates individuals into large political and social units, making them feel a part of something greater than themselves. Functionalists argue society is secular today so religion is no longer acting to maintain ss by giving people a sense of belonging. Therefore, people need something else to unite them and nationalism does this as it unites everyone into a single national community.
Political ideologies
The ideas that offer an interpretation of the world and on what society ought to be like they are associated with different political parties.
political ideologies -conservatism developed at the end of the 18th century and start of 19th century as a reaction to sudden economic, social and political changes of time
Burke summed up conservatism as:
tradition -should be conserved. What has worked in the past must be conserved for the present and the future.
change-should be viewed with caution and be gradual and based on the experience of the past.
Human nature - is flawed and imperfect
State - as humans are flawed, the role of the state is to be strong in maintaining law and order and social stability.
Society-provides people with a common identity
political ideologies - socialism developed in the 19th cent in response to industrialisation
its characteristics are:
Collectivism - the ideal society is one in which everyone works for the common good
Equality- between all is crucial for cooperation and stability
Capitalism- must be abolished as it’s exploitative and dehumanising as well as the cause of poverty, crime and unemployment
Social class-class system must be abolished to achieve equality
Human nature-humans are social animals shaped by out social situation
Political ideologies-Liberalism
is the ideology of the modern Western democracies
its characteristics are:
Individual freedom-each person should be free to act as they please as long as they are not hurting others
Equality of opportunity - each person should have the chance to develop talents to the full and an equal chance to attain positions of power and status.
Government by consent -the gov should be in the form of a representative democracy . The gov should be responsible for protecting individual’s freedoms, but it should have no other role on people’s lives.
PM on ideology
Lyotard argue that, in PM, people are losing faith in all metanarratives, which include ideologies too, and therefore the importance of ideologies are declining.
evaluation of Lyotard (PM on ideology)
Philo and Miller argue that Postmodernism itself is an ideology which supports capitalism as it celebrates the social acceptance of consumer culture but it ignores those who can’t afford to express their identity through consumerism.
