Sociology-Beliefs in society

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Defining religion

Substantive definitions (exclusive) - focus o the content such as a bleif in God and the supernatural. They draw a clear lin between religious and non-religious beliefs. Weber define religion as a belief in a superior power than can not be explained scientifically. - However Giddens disaproves of this definition as Western bias to exclude therefore it is too exclusive. For example out of teh 6 world religions Buddhism does not ft into this catergory. 

Functional definitions ( provide - inclusive) - define religion interms of the social and psychological functions it peforms fo rthe individuals or society. Durkheim defines religion in terms of the contribution it makes to social intergration. - Aldridge believes it includes tto much as other institutions can help intergrate groups such as football. 

Social constructionist definitions - interpretivist appraoch that focusses on how members of society themsleves define religion. Not possible to get one single universal as definitions of religion are constructed, challenged and fiught over. 

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Types of religion

Animism - pre-industrial & non-industrial societies. Focuses on spiritual or supernatural forces.

Totemism - clans or tribes adopt a totem as protector which is a plant or animal which may contains spiritits, souls, demons.

Theistic - focus on sacred, higher or controlling power(god). Source of moral codes. 

Monotheistic - one power 

Polytheistic- many Gods

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Belief systems, religion and ideology

A belief system can be defined as a framework of ideas through which an individual makes sense of the world. Beliefs are ideas about things we hold to be true, each one proposes a true explanation of the world. (neutral) 

Religion - has a normative dimension. It provides believers with moral guidelines on how to live and in return for living moral lives, there will be rewards for when we do such as the afterlife. It explains the world around us, they else seek to provide explanations beyond the world.

Ideologies - type of belief system. It is a set of ideas and values that provide the means of interretating the world that represent and/or justifies the interest of a social group. It is a secualr term offering defintions for political and economical beliefs. Often seen as one social grpups one-sided incomplete view of the world. (negative)

Popper thought of ideology as a rigid inflexible term used to oppress people. 

According to Marx religion is an ideology used to fool the masses and oppress the working class. Feminists also agree, and believe it is used to justify patriarchal control over women. 

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Belief and Knowledge

Belief

- believed to be true 

- relies upon faith

-attempts to explain the world in absence of knowledge

- no firm factual basis

Knowledge 

- fact 

- tested with evidence 

- no doubt 

-knowledge 

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Spirituality

Religious spirituality

- believers submit to superior divine that is external and submit to external religous guidelines

New Age spirituality

- discovering the divine within themselves and includes a diverse range of beliefs

Where did the new age spirituality coem from?

- Heelas and Woodhead describe it as a part of a subjective turn. Cultural shift towards a persons own subjective experiences.

- However only 3% of the population practice the new age spirituality

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Science

Science is the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation and theoretical explanation of the phenomena.

Features of science...

Empiricism - information gained through research

Objectivity - free from bias

Single Paradigm - core set of ideas (biology)

Replicability - findings need to be repeatable

Falsification - can be disproved

Cumulative knowledge - knowledge is always increasing 

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Open and Closed belief systems

Open belief systems - science 

- open to questioning

- open to criticism

- open to the idea that they may be wrong

- theories that can be disregarded

Closed belief systems - religion

- they are unchanging

- can not be debated, evidence against is rejected

- can not be disproved

- based on faith and conviction

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The difference between science and religion

Science 

Open System -cumulative data, changing knowledge, falsifictaion

Evidence based - rational facts, objective, standardised testing, explains physical world

Religion

Closed system - fixed ideas, can not be questioned, circular beliefs

Faith based - presumptions, uncertain, subjective, can not be tested, moral guidance, explains physical metaphysical and spiritual 

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The similarities between Religion and Science

- Science is not anti-religous and religions are accepting of science 

- they include "stories" which are dependant on faith

- they both include people who teach the knoledge

They have blinf faith - believe it is right even if they don't understand it 

- they are both ideologies

- they are both metanarratives - attempt to explain the world

- they both have open-mondedness

- both based on interppretation and values

- both seen as paradigms 

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Has science displaced religion?

before science very culture had its own knowledge system - usually taking form as a religion

Postmodernists - Lyotard -call these bodies of knowledge narratives - each culture beloved their knowledge was the truth - founded on traddition and faith

Gellner - disagress -religion is there for what science can not explain, once science has explained it religion leaves

HOWEVER - science has created as many problems as it has solved eg- global warming

Many scientists serve wealthy corporations and science is loosing its authority in society

Lyotard - argues that in the modern day people are no longer seeking the truth, instead they pick and choose religion and ultimately creating their own 

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Science and Religion as ideologies

Marxist and Feminists argue that science and religion are boh ideologies that benefit the ruling class and men

EG - Science and technology revolutionised  the labour process in factories and made it easier to exploit. As well as this Science has also led to the spread of cpitalism  and teh econimic dominace of western states and transnational companies

Feminists also argue that the science as an ideology has routinely marginalised women as science is routinely viewed as amasculine domain. 

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Atheism as evidence science and religion are ideol

There are different types of atheists

- Agnostics - doubtful about the existance of God as there s no evidence 

- Staunch Atheists - Rationalist stance - no factual basis for God and believe more in                                    scientific ideas

- Humanisits- human values are important to society and morals should be universal outside of religion 

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