Religion Flashcards

1
Q

Substantive definition

A

These aim to identify the core characteristics shared by major religions
E.g reference to God

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2
Q

What does MAX WEBER (1905) say about substantive religion

A

He claims that it is belief in a SUPERNATURAL POWER that cannot be proven scientifically

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3
Q

Constructionist definitions

A

Interpretivists are mainly interested in how definitions of religion are constructed, challenged and fought over.

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4
Q

ALDRIDGE (2007) view on sociology

A

Shows that Scientology is a religion despite the fact that several governments have denied it its legal status of being a religion

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5
Q

INTERPRETIVISTS conclusion of religion

A

Whether a belief system is defined as a religion depends on who has power

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6
Q

Functional definition of religion

A

Functionalists analyse what a religion does for the society that it exists within. - comfort to its believers

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7
Q

Sacred canopy BERGER (1967)

A

Claims that religion acts like a SACRED CANOPY to its believers as it protects them from all the dangers in the world

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8
Q

Theistic religions

A
Belief in a higher power 
One god (MONOTHEISTIC)
Many gods (POLYTHEISTIC)
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9
Q

New age movements religion

A

Spiritual rather that religious belief system - self-development

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10
Q

Totemism religion

A

A form of animism in which a community creates a SYMBOL that represents them a s a group e.g ANIMAL or PLANT

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11
Q

Durkheim belief of sociology (1915)

A

Believed many religions contain elements of totemism

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12
Q

Animism religion

A

A belief in spirits and ghosts that can positively or negatively impact the human and natural world e.g PAGANISM

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13
Q

Religion as a closed belief system

A

These religions see themselves as the true representation of God and not tolerant to other religions
ARGUED THAT IT IS TOO CONSERVATIVE

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14
Q

Religion as an open belief system

A

They are having to adapt to social change in order to stay relevant. E.g CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVING FEMALE VICARS AND BISHOPS

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15
Q

Polanyi (1958)

A

States that in order to protect themselves from challenge, closed belief systems, such as religions, tend to have specific tendencies:

  1. Denial of legitimacy
  2. Subsidiary explanations
  3. Circularity
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16
Q

Denial of legitimacy

A

By completely rejecting the basic principles of their rivals, belief systems can convince their followers that they are the only possible answers
E.g creationism (the belief that god made the world - IGNORING ALL EVOLUTION EVIDENCE

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17
Q

Subsidiary explanations

A

Polanyi claims that closed belief systems have a series of “get out clauses”. Deflecting the focus of the argument
E.G“God works in mysterious ways”

18
Q

Evans - Pritchard (1936), functionalist, studied the Azande people of Sudan, REFLECTING A CLOSE BELIEF SYSTEM

A

Their view that witchcraft caused misfortune may have seemed irrational to non- believers, but the Azande people had been indoctrinated into their beliefs and they were not allowed to question them

19
Q

Core principles of science

A
  1. Science is the pursuit of FACTS that are supported bu evidence
  2. It is OBJECTIVE (not biased)
  3. Science studies the impact of CAUSE AND EFFECT relationships based on RELIABLE data that can be accurately tested
20
Q

Sir Karl Popper (1959) believes that science has become the dominant belief system in the eastern world because it can be challenged and has therefore grown as a discipline

A

Claims that the basis of science is built upon FALSIFICATION, challenged pre-existing theories or knowledge. If proven wrong, another replaces it and therefore the knowledge within the discipline grows

21
Q

Thomas Kuhn (1970)

A

Believes that science as a discipline is actually a closed belief system due to the PARADIGMS that dominate it

22
Q

What is a paradigm shape?

A
  • how the discipline is defined and understood by those who operate within it and by others
  • how research is conducted, i.e by creating hypotheses and so on

PRE EXISTING FRAME-WORK

23
Q

The impact of science

A

Scientific discoveries have led to technological and medical advances that have revolutionised our economy and everyday life, along with providing society with potential answers to Euston about our existence

24
Q

Robert Merton and the CUDOS norms (1942)

A
agrees with Popper’s views of science by claiming it has grown because of ethos which is shaped by 4 specific norms: 
Communism
Universalism 
Disinterested ness
Organised scepticism
25
Q

CUDOS NORMS: Communism

A

Scientific knowledge is shared with the whole community and therefore is not kept private

26
Q

CUDOS NORMS: Universalism

A

All scientists are regarded as equal and so it should be their work that is challenged and no their social characteristics

27
Q

CUDOS NORMS: Disinterestedness

A

Scientists should be committed to truth and publish their findings honestly. There should be no fraud or subjective bias in their claims

28
Q

CUDOS NORMS: Organised scepticism

A

All knowledge within science should be challenged and scrutiny should be encouraged by all scientists

29
Q

Ideologies

A

Both science and religion are IDEOLOGIES as they are beliefs based around core principles aimed at explaining why the world works in the way that it does.

30
Q

Marxist view on science and religion

A

All ideologies, including science and religion, are manipulated by the ruling class to maintain and reproduce inequality. Generally motivated by mass products.

31
Q

Michalowski and Kramer (1987) - an example of this Marxist view

A

They studied pharmaceutical companies who produce vital medicines that are needed in society, but sell their products at prices only the wealthy can afford

32
Q

Femenist view on religion and medicine

A

They have both promoted patriarchy for generations, e.g block women from positions of power training gumtree as weak or impure.

33
Q

EXAMPLE of feminist view on religion and medicine - ANN OAKLEY (1972)

A

Argues that John Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation (1951) is a good example of science acting as an ideology. The development of young children was “damaged” by working mothers. Strengthening the idea that only men should be breadwinners and women should stay at home

34
Q

Postmodernist view of religion and medicine

A

Claims that both religion and science are META- NARRATIVES. These ideologies seek to explain the “truth: are no longer relevant as both scientific facts and religious teachings are no longer accepted as the immediate “truth”

35
Q

Karl Mannheim (1929)

A

Claims that all world views or ideologies are the products of theologians or intellectuals who cannot relate to the everyday individual so study personal interests.

36
Q

Mannheim states that there are 2 types of work view:

A
  1. IDEOLOGICAL THOUGHT - this style of work view attempts to justify tradition and the maintenance of society as it is
  2. UTOPIAN THOUGHT - this is the style of world view or ideology attempts to promote social change because the current state of the world doesn’t suit the utopian belief system
37
Q

The sacred and the profanity - DURKHEIM (1915)

A

Believed that the main purpose of religion was to clearly differentiate between things that were SACRED or PROFANE in our society

38
Q

Sacred:

A

Things that are special because they are the product of a higher being a supernatural power
E.g churches and temples are sacred

39
Q

Profane

A

Things that are Reinhard, average , and have no special meaning or purpose
E.g offices

40
Q

Circularity

A

Each idea explained in terms of another within the same system