Science as a belief system Flashcards

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1
Q

How do secularisation theorists view science?

A

Undermines religion

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2
Q

What impact has science had over the last few centuries?

A
  • Achievements in medicine
  • raised the standard of living
  • basic features of daily life : transport, work
  • revolutionised economic productivity
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3
Q

Why has faith in science been somewhat dimmed?

A

Science can cause problems as well as solve them e.g. pollution, global warming, weapons. It has created its own ‘manufactured risks’ that threaten the planet.

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4
Q

What is meant by science being an ‘open belief system’?

A

Every scientists’ theories are open to testing, challenge and criticism.

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5
Q

What is meant by the principle of falsification?

A

Scientists set out to try and falsify existing theories. Deliberately seeking out evidence that would disprove them.

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6
Q

Science is seen as ‘cumulative’. What does this mean?

A

It builds on the achievements of previous scientists to develop a greater understanding of the world.

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7
Q

What key terms does Karl Popper talk about?

A
  • Science as an open belief system
  • The principle of falsification
  • Scientific knowledge is cumulative

He says the key thing about scientific knowledge is that it isn’t sacred or absolute truth - it can always be questioned, criticised, tested and perhaps shown to be false.

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8
Q

What does Merton argue?

A

Science can only thrive as a major social institution if it receives support from other institutions and values. Science needs an ‘ethos’ or set of norms that make scientists act in ways that serve the goal of increasing scientific knowledge.

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9
Q

Who talks about the CUDOS norms?

A

Merton

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10
Q

What 4 ‘CUDOS’ norms does Merton identify?

A

Communism
Universalism
Disinterestedness
Organised Scepticism

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11
Q

Explain communism

A

Scientific knowledge is shared

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12
Q

Explain universalism

A

Anyone can be a scientist regardless of race, gender etc.
Scientific knowledge is judged universal, objective criteria and not by the particular race, sex etc of the scientist who produces it.

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13
Q

Explain Disinterestedness

A

Being objective and letting research be checked/tested by others.

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14
Q

Explain Organised Scepticism

A

Every idea is open to questioning, criticism and investigation.

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15
Q

In what ways is religion a closed belief system?

A

Knowledge is sacred on God’s divine authority. It can’t be tested, challenged and doesn’t change. It is fixed and doesn’t grow. Those who challenge it are punished.

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16
Q

What does Polanyi argue about belief systems?

A

Argues all belief systems reject fundamental challenges to their knowledge claims and science is no different.

17
Q

What happened to Dr Velikovsky?

A

He put forward a new theory on the origins of the earth which challenged some of the most fundamental assumptions in science. Scientists rejected it straight away without even reading the book he published. Scientists who called for a fair hearing and for the theory to be tested were victimised and lost their jobs.

18
Q

What does the case of Dr Velikovsky illustrate?

A

Science is as closed off as religion is.

Anyone who tries to work outside the paradigm get rejected.

19
Q

Who talks about paradigm?

A

Thomas Kuhn

20
Q

What does Thomas Kuhn argue?

A

Mature science is based on a set of shared assumptions called a paradigm. Scientists are socialised into the paradigm and if they challenge it they will be ostracised.
However if there are results the paradigm can’t account for then there will be a scientific revolution.

21
Q

Summarise what Thomas Kuhn says

A

He rejects Poppers claim that science is an open belief system. Kuhn sees it as a closed belief system similar to religion.​

Scientists work within an established set of ideas called a paradigm. Anyone who tries to work outside the paradigm, like Dr Velikovsky, get rejected.​

‘Normal science’ continues in this way until a scientific revolution takes place and then old ideas are abandoned and a new paradigm adopted.​

22
Q

Give examples of paradigm shifts in science

A

Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton.
–> Caused normal science to go into crisis which caused a paradigm shift and then went back to normal science.

23
Q

What does Karin Knorr-Cetina argue?

A

The invention of new instruments, such as telescopes or microscopes, permits scientists to make new observations and construct or ‘fabricate’ new facts.

24
Q

Who else criticises science?

A

Interpretivists
Marxists
Feminists
Postmodernists

25
Q

How do Marxists criticise science?

A

Scientists work on behalf of capitalism to make a profit e.g. COVID vaccines!​

Scientific evidence drives capitalism e.g. weapons

25
Q

How do feminists criticise science?

A

most scientists are men and scientific discoveries help men!​

Science oppresses women e.g. biological ideas have been used to justify male domination.

26
Q

How do interpretivists criticise science?

A

All knowledge is a social construct. Karin Knorr Cetina- scientific inventions enable them to see things they didn’t before! Scientists make things up as in the case of space discoveries!​

27
Q

How do postmodernists criticise science?

A

Scientific truths are just a grand or meta narrative (big story) and of no more worth than other truths!

Lyotard says science is one of a number of meta narratives (small truth) that falsely claim to possess the truth. Science is just one more discourse used to dominate people.