Science Religion & Ideology Flashcards
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
Objective
unbiased, value free based evidence X emotion / personal belief
Cumulative
builds on work of even things proved wrong = useful - know what doesn’t work
Empirical
based on obsv evidence
Testable
can be tested against others = falsifiable
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
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
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
Kuhn - Paradigms
= CBS - runs on P’s - shape way discipline = defined & understood & research carried out = accepted by majority & hard to change
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
Science as an Ideology
supernatural element = dimin & phenom explained through nature - seasons = cycle of life
Positive Stage
Comte’s Stages of Human Development
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
