Science Religion & Ideology Flashcards by Charlotte Chatfield

Science

An open belief system which constantly opens itself up for criticism & testing & constantly seeks to discover new knowledge
Is value free, objective, unbiased & rigorous = based in empirical evidence facts tested by experiments rather than being based on faith

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Objective

unbiased, value free based evidence X emotion / personal belief

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Cumulative

builds on work of even things proved wrong = useful - know what doesn’t work

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Empirical

based on obsv evidence

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Testable

can be tested against others = falsifiable

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Science as an Open belief System

opens self to crit, tests & seeks new know - based in emp evi - facts = tested by experts X faith = value free
Popper - built on falsification - will replace theories

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Merton - CUDOS

Communism - sci know should = shared w/ community X = secret
Universalism - all scis should be regarded equal - work challenged X them
Disinterestedness - should be commited to truth & pub findings honestly - no fraud / subj bias
Organised Scepticism - all know should be challenged & scrutiny encour

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Science as Closed Belief System

not as obj as may think = resistant to challenge - depen on funding can be conducted to assist sales eg oil funded research ? climate change

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Kuhn - Paradigms

= CBS - runs on P’s - shape way discipline = defined & understood & research carried out = accepted by majority & hard to change

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Postmodernism & Science as a Metanarrative

Lyotard - sci falsely claims to find truth about how world works as progress to better soc - sci = m discourse of thinking used to dominate ppl - technoscience - serves cap interests

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Substantive Definition of Religion

Tylor (1903) ‘ belief in spiritual beings’
Max Weber (1905) seeing it as a belief in a super natural power that = unable to be scientifically explained - whether belief can be considered relig depends on substance of what is believed - requires belief in God/s
Criticised for ignoring relig pracs - things ppl do to show belief

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Problems w/ Substantive Definitions

How do we decide which belief should / not be seen as relig eg should belief in magic = relig
Provides v broad understanding of relig

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Functional Definitions

State what relig actually does
D’s def has an element of func talks about commun
Relig needs to be defined by contrib to society as it is considered a product of Soc bc of this these definitions are sometimes assoc w/ func pov

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Durkheim (1915)

‘A unified system of beliefs & pracs relative to sacred things & that is to say things set apart & forbidden - beliefs & pracs which unite into one single moral community called a church all those who adhere to them’
Focuses on relig as group activity
Talks about the way certain symbols are given sacred power & regarded in awe & assoc w/ rituals eg cross

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Yinger (1970)

‘Relig = system of beliefs & pracs by means of which a group of ppl struggles w/ the ultimate problems of human life’
A belief / org could provide certain fun’s eg encourage social cohesion & col conscience - w/o nec inclu supernatural eg could football be considered a relig?

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Advantages of Functional Definitions

= inclusive allow wide range of beliefs & pracs eg encour social cohesion
Don’t specify belief in gods/ supernatural = no bias against non western relig eg Buddhism

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Problems w/ Functional Definitions

= too broad belief systems that = specifically anti relig could = inclu eg interests in football music lives of celebs - Scharf (1970)
Assume relig plays useful role in Soc & contribs to social stability can = consid as a relig w/o evidence

Social Constructionist Definitions

Some socios believe relig = social construct that = created by man not supernatural beings eg interpretivists believe relig = defined by each individual while Marxists believe = created by bour to repress prol - serves cap

Aldridge

according to some govs scientology = X relig = banned & not given legal status - but for believers is religion

Evaluation of Social Constructionist Definitions

ethnocentric - focus on western religs - doesn’t consid belief systems w/ sim funcs but no god

Problems w/ defining Religion

No def all socios agree on
Means measuring relig = dif therefore hard to measure whether secularisation has occurred / not

Ideology

a system of ideals & ideas esp 1 forming the basis of Econ / pol theory & policy

Characteristics of Ideology

must have power over cognition
must be capable of guiding ones eval
must provide guidance towards actions
must be logically coherent

Examples of Ideology

socialism
communism
democracy
totalitarianism

Marxist Interp of Ideology

system of falsehoods used by RC as means of staying in power justify cap prins & prevent pro rev neg view of ideologies prevents rev - prol dont understand exploitive nature of cap - makes them think it is fair & that wealthy have worked hard for their wealth

Evaluating Marxist View of Ideology

M could have played same role in SU & other Com countries some neo marxists suggest idea that we dont know own mind = pat & disempower - many fems take same view women are brainwashed by patriarchy - suggestion that I leads to false consciousness = convenient explanation for not being able to persuade of argument strength suggestion is trad M that = 1 ideo neo - marxism = dom ideo & = other comp sets of ideas can be developed to op bour

Radical Feminists & Ideology

common view = patriarchal ideology maintains Dom view of men in soc according to rad fems 1 way can be achieved is convincing women that patriarchy = natural normal & desirable = sim to false consciousness

Karl Popper

can't study ideologies scientifically = unfalsifiable if express contentedness how could this be scientifically shown as false consciousness

Theological Stage | Comte's Stages of Human Development ## Footnote Science as an Ideology

phenomena = exper as arising from actions of spirits & Gods & supernatural- seasons = peresphone time greek mythology

Metaphysical Stage | Comte's Stages of Human Development ## Footnote Science as an Ideology

supernatural element = dimin & phenom explained through nature - seasons = cycle of life

Positive Stage | Comte's Stages of Human Development ## Footnote Science as an Ideology

replaced by rational explanations - based on evidence derived from obv & exper logic & rational thought - Weber - disenchantment - loss of magical & mystical element of the world

Popper - Falsification & Science

theories can come from anywhere & it is wrong to say theories can be proved true - can only be proved wrong

Kuhn - Scientific Revolutions

sci know shifted in num of revs - new P's to replace old P's

Is science unscientific?

Lynch - science = less obj than scis claim - studied interacts between lab rats & scis = m impacted by existing theories than thought when anomalies occured said down to mistake not new evidence

Postmodernism & Science

lyotard - sci = another metanar claims MonT = another ideo - Ms & Fems argue sci know used to strengthen cap & patri

Gomm (1982) | Evaluation - Science as an Ideology

theories scis produce = part of soc context & try to prove X falsify ideas

Similarities between Ideology & Religion

both give sense to life - salvation in next world for relig happiness & human fulfilment for ideologies both claim to hold the truth some claim religion = sub group of ideologies

Differences between Ideology & Religion

religion = concerned w/ divine - ideos w/ world religion emph faith & worship - appeal inwardness & aim = redemption / purification of human spirit - ideology speaks to group, nation / class

Differences between Science & Ideology

Reflects dif Soc conditions behind prod of 2 types of knowledge Prod of sci knowledge = regulated by scientific rules eg logic of experimental method & empirical refs & animated by depressive attitude ( I am responsible for matters w/in confines of rules set by research com) Propositions of ideology = anti empirical & shy away from counter examples are confusions & underpinned by a potentially maniacal & omnipotent attitude

Religion

Closed belief system that claims the monopoly on the truth & accepts no criticism / opportunity for development Based on doctrine & to challenge that = sacrilege / blasphemy

Differences between Science & Religion

Science = open belief system comp to religion Relig based in faith science based on direct observation Whilst relig requires belief often in supernatural - science requires falsification