Topic 1- Belief, Ideology and Science

Question 1

Definition of Belief

Answer 1

Ideas we hold to be true - normally to do with human existence.

Question 2

Pluralist Ideology

Answer 2

Society is made up of many different social groups with many different ideologies that represent their interests and govern their outlook on life. None of these ideologies is dominant in society or exerts itself over others.

BUT

• denies disparate power to assert ideology
• Is itself an ideology claiming superiority.

Question 3

Marxist Ideology

Answer 3

Ideology is tied to your social class, the ruling class ideology is dominant in society.
MANNEHEIM - it conceals social facts to justify their continued power and inequality.
ALTHUSSER- spread via an ideological state aparatus.
GRAMSCI- Hegemony - ruling class make lower classes adopt their ideology as part of their belief system via religion etc so that it can remain unchallenged.

Question 4

Patriarchal Ideology

Answer 4

Feminists argue that this is the prominent ideology in society and is a set of beliefs that justify male dominance, i.e. men are biologically suited more to work than childcare. Spread via tools such as religion.

Question 5

Political Ideology

Answer 5

A set of beliefs that define how a country should be run and the actions that politicians should take.

Question 6

Is religion an ideology?

Answer 6

It too is a set of beliefs and values that dictate an outlet on life held by a specific group of people - Giddens. But is not inherently tied to the interests of a specific group. However it can adopted into an ideology- MARX and Opium of the people, feminists, conservative politicians and fundamentalists calls for intelligent design.

Question 7

Scientism

Answer 7

A belief in science as the only means to achieve true knowledge, any other non-empirical beliefs or assumptions are invalid. Can be regarded as it’s own ideology protecting the interests of the scientific community.

Question 8

POPPER

Answer 8

Science is not an ideology as it is an open belief system that desies scrutiny.

The scientific method of:

creating a hypothesis
Attempting to falsify they hypothesis
prediction
theory formulation
scrutiny

is in stark contrast to religion as it wants to falsify and challenge it’s belief, not guard them. Beliefs are not held as an unquestionable act of faith.

Question 9

KUHN

Answer 9

Science is not that objective, act within a tight paradigm, try to fit discoveries and channel research towards paradigm so overlook evidence that exists outside it or dismiss as an anomaly. Paradigm is an act of faith akin to that of religion. Ideology reinforcing scientists interests.
Scientific revolutions

Question 10

Practical reasons for science’s subjectivity.

Answer 10

• FUNDING- may research areas more likely to received funding. Once received likely to govern how research and outcome in accordance to their ideology? interests i.e. tobacco companies research into the effects of smoking will show it to be minimal.
• BELIEFS- what they consider to be important/of worth to research
• CAREER- Want success so moe likely to want to prove than disprove.

Question 11

BRUCE

Answer 11

It is scientific method that is the greatest threat to religion as it disproves their beliefs (sun revolves round the earth) and creates a desire/need for beliefs to be proved/disproved challenging the unquestioned faith in religion and causes people to look for scientific not religious explanations.

Question 12

Aldridge and Comte

Answer 12

3 stages:
Theological - explained by God
Metaphysical - explained by nature
Scientific/positivist age - explained via scientific explanations WEBER-disenchantment with the world.

Question 13

Has science displaced religion?

Answer 13

It is of a lesser importance but is not a disused relic - suicide bombers, People’s Temple. CofE still official religion and head of church is head of state. Declining role though - recent passing of gay marriage laws in Ireland.

Question 14

Postmodernists view on science

Answer 14

Metanarrative and so is invalid.
Science has generated a lot of manufactured risks.
The alliance of science and industry has caused many to become disillusioned with science.

Question 15

Postmodernity and religion

Answer 15

Metanarrative- the growing individualism and choice of society have made people less likely to accept religion and the word of religious leaders
BAUDRILLARD- Media saturated society, access to a huge range of ideas, more likely to scutinise religion rather than blindly accept.
BAUMAN- ‘crisis of meaning’ as reject religious beliefs, fill with New Age
LYON- disneyisation, have to emphasise leisure in order to achieve consumers in a highly competitive religious market.

Question 16

Definitions of Religion- Inclusivist, Functional definition

Answer 16

Durkheim- More about the function rather than features of religion.
‘ A unified set of practises and beliefs relative to sacred things, that is to say, set apart and forbidden’
BUT - CIVIL RELIGIONS- anything by his definition could be a religion

Question 17

Definition of Religion- Exclusivist

Answer 17

BRUCE- ‘Beliefs, actions and institutions which assume the existence of supernatural entities with powers of action or impersonal powers or processes possessed of moral purposes’.

BERGER- Sacred canopy - supernatural protection.

Fits most religions but is arguably westernised as does not fit buddhism as no supernatural being or some other belief systems but does fit Wicca, Satanists and Pagans.

-But excludes acceoted religions such as Buddhism as no supernatural power. Westernised view of religion.

Question 18

Definition of Ideology

Answer 18

‘A set of values and beliefs that provide a means of interpreting the world, representing the outlook and justifying the interests of a set social group.’