Week 9 - Ideology Lecture Notes (PDF)

MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY WEEK 9 IDEOLOGY Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is pro...

MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY WEEK 9 IDEOLOGY Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY Definition Change in Western Ideology Modernism CONTENT History of Modernism The Enlightenment Project Characteristic of the Modernism Era Post Modernism Basic Concept of Post Modernism Relativism Criticism towards Relativism The Effect of Relativism Towards Religious Beliefs Facing Postmodernism Figures of Postmodernism Contemporary Society Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY LEARNING OUTCOMES Explain the challenges of postmodern relativism as the reaction towards the failure of modernism Explain the development and manifestation of postmodern relativism phenomenon Elaborate the implications of postmodern relativism in denying the truth and reality of life Analyse religion and tradition’s answer to the challenges of postmodern relativism Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited DEFINITION 4  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY WHAT IS IDEALOGY Generally, ideology is the combination of two words idea Idea = thoughts / sparks of thoughts Logy = a discipline / science/ research Ideology IDEALOGY = Knowledge of ideas logy Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THE START OF IDEALOGY Ideology is connected to philosophical ideas. If only at the philosophical level of the idea, it is still considered as theoretical. But when an idea is practiced and experienced especially in the fields of politics and economy, the idea becomes an ideology If the idea becomes a political or economical movement where it mobilizes the people, state and country, the idea will then become an ideology Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY EXAMPLE 1. Dialectical 5. Hence, Idealism by 3. Karl Marx brought upon Communism is Hegel was the idea of a type of taken By Karl IDEOLOGY Marx MARXISM 2. Karl Marx 4. Marxism was made interpreted to Dialectical be used as an Idealism into economic idea Dialectical known as Materialism COMMUNISM Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited CHANGE IN WESTERN IDEOLOGY 8 MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CHANGE IN WESTERN IDEALOGY Post modernism Modernism Anthropocentric (Pre-Modern) Theocentric  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THEOCENTRIC During the theocentric era, the Western society held on strongly to the believe of God. Living a religious life was a dominant factor in the lives of olden day Europeans. Their lives were focused and centered on God  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY ANTHROPOCENTRIC During the anthropocentric era, the Westerners begun to shift their focus. From being focused entirely on God, they started to focus on humans. This was during The Renaissance Era which saw the rise of secular humanism groups that threw the idea of religion and god.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY MODERNISM Then, the idea of Due to their ego Various ideas and modernism that centered towards religious As time went by, they knowledges begun to around science as the believes, the Westerners based their lives on appear, such as science, ultimate truth, then tried looking for modern lifestyles. rationalism, empiricism rationalism as well as alternatives that could and logic. progress as the ultimate replace religious values. human goal became the focus.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY POSTMODERNISM The world is now in a new era, one with new waves Post Modernism was the of thinking and new result of rebellion against theoretical ideas about the modernism lives of humans and society in general. MODERNISM 18  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY MODERNISM Some of the pioneers of Modernism Started Was mobilized were around the by the Immanuel 18th century Enlightenment Kant Philosophers (Germany) & John Locke as well as David Hume (Britain)  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY MODERNISM FOCUSES ON: Importance of rational thoughts in determining the truth Importance of rationalism in determining a social organization Celebrating the success of science Celebrating the scientific method Scientific success and Scientific method are the progress markers in the achievement of human knowledge.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY MODERNISM With scientific success that is emphasized through empiricism and rationalism, humans will have a new confidence to create a better life that will pave the path for a new culture HISTORY OF MODERNISM 22  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY HISTORY OF MODERNISM Modernist thinking is based on the Enlightenment movement and thought. According to Abdul Rahman (2010), the Enlightenment movement focused on the concept of : a. Human’s success can be achieved by using their mind. b. Humans can build a new life and society by leaving olden ways that centered around religion which was prevalent during the medieval times. 23 Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited THE ENLIGHTENMENT PROJECT 24  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THE ENLIGHTENMENT PROJECT Modernity that is based on These are philosophies that The progress of common The Enlightenment movement The Enlightenment Project is ONLY centered around sense and rationality has became known as The the marker of a time where Enlightenment Project. intellectual thoughts, given birth to a new life and philosophy started to emerge reasoning and science. society into existence. This further solidified the From there, Physics, philosophers believes that Chemistry, and Astronomy only with a rational mind, Not through religious started to emerge and scientific knowledge and principles become successful. scientific method, humans can succeed and make progress.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THE ENLIGHTEN PROJECT = SCIENCE Science became the yardstick of truth in all fields of knowledge and all aspects of life. It became a huge and radical project.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY NEW PHILOSOPHERS 1. New philosophers started emerging. 2. They brought about the teachings of Logical Positivism 3. They emphasized on rational thoughts and scientific methods in solving problems. Bertrand Russell Karl Popper CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MODERNISM ERA 28  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MODERNISM ERA ONLY centered on rational understanding Science was the ONLY knowledge Continuous progress was human’s MAIN goal HOWEVER In the 20th century, 250 – 300 years since the modernist movement, all these have been proven to be false as the goals were not achieved. Rational mind ALONE cannot be the only yardstick in looking for happiness Science ALONE cannot be the ONLY source of knowledge Material progress ALONE will not bring about happiness in human life Finally, a major rebellion against the Modernism movement broke out From this, the POSTMODERNISM movement emerged. Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited 29 POST MODERNISM 30  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY The ideology that impacts our lives today comes from the Western philosophy POSTMODERNISM known as Postmodernism. Postmodernism has been in existence ever since the 1960’s Now, the whole world is in a postmodern era The emergence of the postmodern era indicates the end of the Modernist era. 31 Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY POSTMODERNISM According to Lacey (1999) and Proctor (1991), Modernism centered only on the mind, science and progress to determine the truth and reality. Hence, when this ideology was seen to fail and only gave false hopes, postmodernists started to have an enmity towards reality and the truth. Some of the main characteristics that postmodernists exhibited were: The nonchalance / disinterest / an attitude of not caring if they lost their history, identity, religion and tradition. Any unauthorized copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance, display or other use of this material is prohibited 32 BASIC CONCEPT OF POST MODERNISM 34  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY 1. NO PERMANENT TRUTH OR REALITY According to postmodernists, there is no permanent truth nor reality. Truth depends on cultural construct. Every culture and society has it’s own truth. Truth is subjective as well as relative. It depends on a certain frame of reference. Hence, ultimate truth does not exist.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY 2. ALL REALITIES OF EXISTENCE ARE A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT The human mind creates its Society plays an important own understanding based The construct of the mind is role in determining the on the society’s existing essential towards the postmodern life. systems and practices. essence existence. Understanding towards the concept of God, good and bad, language and even The postmodernists also It’s the society that makes gender is a social construct believe that gender is a us man or woman, not that originated from the social construct biology. construct of the mind.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY 3. LANGUAGE IS MERELY A COMMUNICATIVE SOCIAL CONSTRUCT Postmodernism Language is merely for Language can change questions matters that communicative according to context has always been purposes and does not and culture. accepted as reality and truly have meaning to it. as stable (eg: language)  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY 4. REJECTION OF GRAND NARRATIVES Postmodernism rejects any sorts of grand narratives about What are Grand Narratives? life. Grand Narratives are stories / big ideas that gives us direction in life such as: It rejects metaphysics a. Truth b. Morality c. God / Religion It rejects life stories about the origins of life and where will our souls go d. Tradition e. History It rejects life stories / origins about the relationship between The above are rejected by postmodernists humans, relationship between humansAny unauthorized and nature as well as (Ziauddin Sardar, 1995) the relationship between humans and God. copying, alteration, distribution, transmission, performance , display or other use of this material  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY 5. KNOWLEDGE IS RELATED POWER Knowledge is heavily related and reliant on power. Power dictates and decides all.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY POSTMODERNISM Postmodernism is a product of a new culture and lifestyle It’s a new way of thinking and theorizing about the lives of humans and society today. Postmodernism brings a radical change and impact towards the future of society and religion. RELATIVISM 43 MPU3193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY RELATIVISM THEORY Relativism rejects any form of objective and absolute truth Relativism is anti towards the idea of ONE truth/ reality Nothing is objective or absolute Everything changes according to the circumstances and situation / environment. Truth can be seen from many different perspectives. According to the theory, truth can change, there are no boundaries and can be interpreted from many different angles and perspectives. There are many methods to determine, understand and accept truth. CRITICISM TOWARDS RELATIVISM 46  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CRITICISM TOWARDS RELATIVISM Critics towards the relativism theory say that the theory contradicts itself. There is no absolute truth = This can mean this statement is also not true.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CRITICISM TOWARDS RELATIVISM Scientists reject relativism as well. If scientists were to run experiments while accepting relativism, they will not be able to agree or accept on ONE THEORY. If relativism is used in science, scientists will be in a position to be able to choose their desired theory, however they will also have to accept other theories. This will cause chaos in science as there will be no consensus about the finalized theory.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CRITICISM TOWARDS RELATIVISM According to Thomas Kuhn, a science philosopher, the scientific community can only accept one scientific paradigm / theory. If too many theories were accepted, scientific research cannot be continued. Scientific systems and religious believes do not depend on relativism theory Relativism is not the main branch of thinking because its logic is still considered as weak. The rejection of relativism does not have a serious impact, but it should be handled with rational debate  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CRITICISM TOWARDS RELATIVISM Postmodernists were unhappy with the modernist's obsession with science. Hence the relativism theory was created to question the absolute truth of science This is because science claims to know all of truth and propagates the idea of the ABSOLUTE truth which is rejected by postmodernists. THE EFFECT OF RELATIVISM TOWARDS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS 52  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THE EFFECT OF RELATIVISM TOWARDS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS Relativism impacts religious understanding. This is because relativism denies reality and the concept of absolute truth. Hence, relativism becomes a challenge towards religious believes because religion is characterized as: a. dogmatic b. stable c. religious believes cannot be changed or challenged d. the acceptance of religious believes are absolute.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THE EFFECT OF RELATIVISM TOWARDS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS If we identify as a relativist thinker: Statement 1: We accept the existence of God Statement 2: We deny the existence of God Conclusion: We will face a logical problem because we cannot accept both statements as true as both are contradictory to one another.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THE EFFECT OF From the religious perspective, relativism is rejected because: RELATIVISM TOWARDS a. believe in God is absolute RELIGIOUS BELIEFS b. Religious believes cannot be doubted c. Religious believes cannot be misinterpreted. All the above contradicts with how relativism works. Hence, none of the religious believes in the world accepts the relativist theory because it would create doubt about the religion itself. Should a religion accept the relativist theory, the religion then denies it’s own existence. FACING POSTMODERNISM 59  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY FACING POSTMODERNISM Has the Are we going development of through a period history hit a of relativism that dead end? destroys us?  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY FACING POSTMODERNISM We need to be aware of our roots We need to know where we want to go from here We need to have a vision and a mission in our lives OR ELSE, we will lose the cause, purpose and direction of our lives  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY FACING POSTMODERNISM History, literature and religion plays an important role in our We must know for lives as they give us some ourselves what is right Postmodernism focuses We must, hence, create sort of perspective and guide on group identity self identity to our lives. Hence, and wrong and be able completely rejecting or to make the right choices negating them is not the right when the time calls for it. thing to do. FIGURES OF POSTMODERNISM 63  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY THE 3 FIGURES OF POSTMODERNISM JACQUES DERRIDA MICHAEL FOUCAULT JEAN BAUDRILLARD  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY JACQUES DERRIDA Introduced the Deconstruction Theory. This theory deconstructs texts and it’s elements by questioning them Also known as skepticism (Gary Minda, 1996) Derrida questioned the basic principles of the Western Philosophy He was influenced by Nietzsche and accepted meaning as relative Considered self as a fiction and imagination, whereby our existence is fiction and was always in a situation that kept changing. As our identity is not real, hence our existence is a fiction and our purpose is to pretend in life’s games.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY Language is merely the framework of power which denies all major narratives. MICHAEL FOUCAULT Language only exists in discourse All social relationships are relationships based on power Everyone is oppressed through language use Everything that we say, think and read has been pre-determined by the world that we live in It is as if the world that we live in, there is a system that is controlling us at all times. Our lives are always being watched.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY JEAN BAUDRILLARD Baudrillard believes that Electronic electronic media has Explains In today’s Postmodernism Example: media has fueled about the world, is a simulation Reality TV, destroyed insecurity existence of shopping is (not designed) Mass Media, It creates a human among material of utmost and fake reality. connection humans, culture / importance consumeris and their which has materialism to humans m history by caused creating them to feel chaos that empty has caused emptiness.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY JEAN BAUDRILLARD According to Baudrillard, humans live in the media The media influences human’s way of life and experiences This phenomena is termed as “dissolution of life into TV” We live in a hyper- reality or a ‘made up reality’ The media acts as our messenger in how we live our lives. The media, television, and advertising deceives us about freedom, as we are all trapped within it. Baudrillard clearly states specifically that that the USA is the lens in which the world bases its lives on ( eh: Hollywood, The American Dream, Starbucks, Fast Food Chains, fashion…) MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY 79  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY In the book Postmodernism, Reason & Religion that was written by Professor Ernest Gellner from London’s School of Economics, he has mentioned that in TODAY’s SOCIETY, there are THREE main branches of thought. Each of them are competing with one another to get their own followers.  MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY First: Enlightenment Second: Postmodernism Modernists that can be Ideology that goes against Third: The branch that is traced back to modernism the idea of Enlightenment related to religion. ideology and Rationalism MPU2193 | FALSAFAH & ISU SEMASA | PHILOSOPHY & CURRENT ISSUES WEEK 9 | IDEALOGY