Science as a belief system
- Created by: Jade1602
- Created on: 02-03-20 15:52
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- Science can only thrive as a major social institution is it receives support from other institutions and values
- Merton
- He also argues that science as an institution or organised social activity needs an 'ethos' that makes scientists act in ways that serve the goal of increasing scientific knowledge.
- Four such norms:
- Communism: scientific knowledge is shared throughout the community
- Universalism: the truth of scientific knowledge is judged by universal standards
- Disinterestedness: publishing your findings in order for others to check their claims
- Organised scepticism: every idea is open to questioning and criticism
- The CUDOS
- Merton
- Four such norms:
- Communism: scientific knowledge is shared throughout the community
- Universalism: the truth of scientific knowledge is judged by universal standards
- Disinterestedness: publishing your findings in order for others to check their claims
- Organised scepticism: every idea is open to questioning and criticism
- Distinguishes between an open and closed belief system, science is an open belief system however such topics as religion or magic are closed due to how they cannot be successfully overturned
- Horton
- The Azande believed when misfortune befalls someone, they believe that it is due to witchcraft
- Witchcraft among the Azande
- The Azande regard witchcraft as a psychic power coming from the intestines, this means that they can unintentionally cause harm
- Allowing the accused to seem surprised and apologise and promise that there will be no further betwitching
- Evans-Pritchard
- This belief system performs useful social functions such as preventing grudges and forcing neighbours to act accordingly to one another.
- He notes that the Azande beliefs are closed, in the event of any criticism they would just proclaim that it wasn't a good Benge. The argument would reinforce their belief, not disprove it.
- Self-sustaining beliefs
- The Azande regard witchcraft as a psychic power coming from the intestines, this means that they can unintentionally cause harm
- Witchcraft among the Azande
- The Azande regard witchcraft as a psychic power coming from the intestines, this means that they can unintentionally cause harm
- Allowing the accused to seem surprised and apologise and promise that there will be no further betwitching
- Argues that the invention of new instruments permits scientists to make new observations and constructs new facts.
- Knorr-Cetina
- Similarity, she points out that the constructed environment of labs is far removed from the natural world.
- Knorr-Cetina
- Woolgar
- Scientists are engaged constantly in trying to interpret the world, when confronted by evidence from their observations the must extract its meaning.
- They also then have to persuade others to share their views. (Little green men case study).
- Lyotard
- Postmodernist
- Reject the knowledge-claims of science to have 'the truth'.
- Science is one of several meta-narratives that falsely claims to possess the truth about how the world works as a means of progress to a better society whereas in reality science just is a way to dominate people.
- Postmodernist
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