Philosophy of Social Sciences’ Presentation…

Presented by… Muhammad Awas Roll # 11 Iqra Saeed Roll # 13

Submitted to…

Ma’am Seemab Far Bukhari

M.Phil. Communication Studies (Research Track) 2015-17 ICS, University of the Punjab Lahore.

Mass Media and Philosophy of Social Science

PLACEMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION IN THE CONTEXT OF EPISTEMOLOGICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL TRADITIONS OF SOCIAL

SCIENCES.

What is Philosophy…

Philosophy is derived from the Greek word …“philial” (love) and “Sophia” (wisdom)

The Love of wisdomDoing philosophy will improve your critical thinking skills, and those can be successfully applied to almost any aspect of life.The philosophy may refer to the study of fundamental nature of existence and of man’s relationship to existence. Philosophy will open your mind, and get us out of our rut.

It is, as Bertrand Russell called it, ‘liberating doubt’.

Theoretical Foundation of Philosophy…

There are three theoretical foundations of Philosophy.

OntologyEpistemologyAxiology

Ontology…

comes from Greek words Ontos = existence or being real. Logia = science or study (i.e Logical)

dealing with the nature of being.The study of what exists…

“Shoes and walking styles”

Epistemology…

Nature and origins of knowledge and the limits of human understanding. It deals with issues such as how knowledge is derived and how it could be tasted and validated.

Epistemology marries the subjectivity and objectivity stances.

"How do we know"Branch of philosophy which aims to discover the meaning

of knowledge. (J.F. Ferrier)

Axiology…

The study of Values. During making sense of ontology, what is the

role of values. Are they attached or detached? In Philosophical traditions, keeping values out

of the picture is near to impossible. Values are virtually embodied and essential as

well to understand social world (i.e. anthropological study, ethnographical study etc.).

Ontology and Epistemology of social world…

Ontology of social world is what is existed in the social life and how it interacts each other. What are the patterns existed in social world.

And how do we came to know about the reality of social world endorsed the epistemological questions. “Language is at the epistemological position of social world”.

Language is full of arbitrariness so if some say that there is an absolute reality in understanding different patterns of social world, it means that that person was not in sober.

Theoretical perspectives of social world…

Positivism Emphasize on empirical data and scientific method theorist have found fuel to their claim that there exists a real world independent of our senses.

InterpretivismIndividuals create meaning from their own actions and experiences.

Critical Perspective the reality is created by the “haves” over “have not”s.

“isms” to understand the social world…

Solipsism Atomism Ethnocentricism Positivism Perspectivism Relativism Multiculturism

Chuanism Skepticism Holism Dualism

Placing mass communication in context of philosophy of social sciences…

Mass communication is done by the means of mass media devices.

These devices have been controlled by different persons. Those persons have their own ideology vary from person to

person. These ideologies make the picture blur of understanding the

philosophy of mass media. Evaluating mass media content on the scale of the pervious

mentioned isms might help in seeking understanding. Let’s try to find out the relationship between different content of

mass media and the philosophical schools of thoughts (i.e. isms).

Solipsism and Movies including Music…

Solipsism is the view of the theory that self is all that can be known. I am the only mind which exists. My mental states are the only mental states. In

simple words, self is the only identity is the hallmark of solipsism.

If we evaluate the movie names and lyrics of the songs, they are triggering off the solipsism state of minds among people. Like in Bollywood films and movie songs,

Sher e Lahore, Singh is King, main aisa hi hoon, Batman, Spiderman etc. Even the dialogues uttered in movies like “aik baar jo main thaan loon to phr main

apne baap ki b nahi sunta” somehow supports the solipsism stance. Poetry and dialogues used in movies, dresses, characters, representation of

cultures depict that these are the only ideals one must follow.

Atomism and Media Content…

Atomism philosophy is based on two fundamental principles. And those are atom and void (the empty spaces in a molecule).

In social sciences it is a theory according to which social institutions, values, and processes arise solely  from the acts and interests of individuals, who thus constitute the only true subject of analysis.

Like the content of drama. And Disney corporation can become a widely diversified that it is

powerful in many protect categories. Disney interest so diversified that company touches almost every consumer in one way and another from hockey team to television networks and publishing houses.

Ethnocentrism: the battle of superiority over other...

Ethnocentrism is a major reason for divisions amongst members of different ethnicities, races, and religious groups in society. Ethnocentrism is the belief of superiority is one's personal ethnic group, but it can also develop from racial or religious differences. Ethnocentric individuals believe that they are better than other individuals for reasons based solely on their heritage.

Shahid Afridi refused to shake hand with a girl during a post match ceremony. Ex. Governor of Balochistan refused the interviewee to take interview of his wife by saying that it was not their culture which allowed their women to talk on media.

Studies proved that whites are more ethnocentric than black. And this can be observed through their films. They place their culture center and shows how their culture is best than others. They promote western culture through their films.

Ethnocentrism can also be seen in commercials on TV that promote the western way of living as better than those of other cultures.

Us vs Them: Synonymous to Ethnocentrism…

Us vs them philosophy typically starts from our daily observations. One who dressed odd and speak strangely may be labeled ‘not like us’.

The western media’s representation of Islam clearly shows that how the Americans portray themselves (us) and Islam (Them). They framed Islam in such a way that it is a threat to Americans.

Studies have also consistently found that Western media negatively stereotype Africa.

The American media is so strong that the whole world is consuming it and consequently it is observed as Muslims vs the whole world.

Case study of ‘Salt’: “us vs them for them”…

Us vs them concept is not always used for negatively portray and damage the identity by the American media but to get sympathy from them to take against them as well.As the outrage erupted among Muslims all over the world about the American’s war against Muslims. They used their media to seek the sympathy of the people whom they were negatively portraying.

In salt (2010), when the Russian agents wanted to put Mecca and Tehran at the target of nuclear warheads, the American spy agent destroyed their mission by dismantling it.

This stance was taken for the reason that the American are not against Muslims.

Rationalism: Geometry of the mind…

It is a belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response.

Popular music disseminated through electronic sources including tv, radio, film video etc. popular music is piped into sound system at markets , shopping malls , toy shop and is played for recreational purpose in children’s home by their and their siblings. it can be heard as a background for a variety of activities. as a result children’s repertoire of know and preferred music often include s both current popular style and popular music from previous generation. children adopt style from performers of music.

Positivism: Representation of External World in Media

Positivism says that reality is independent of the human mind. What you think in your mind is not the actual reality.

Creative media use in needed for education, to increment people rather than to amuse. Entertainment makes 99% of the world news at present. positivism, or media positivism includes intensive use of media to promote unity, participation, and positivism in thinking of common men and women.

Multiculturism and Media…

To add one liner, it can be said that “the celebration of difference”.

To represent and respect other cultures as well.

Like BBC report the Eid events and Christmas events as well. CNN have bureau offices in more than hundred countries.

But if comes to societies, it is hard to practice it. Specially country like Pakistan where religious views are dominated, multiculturism is not common practice.

Perspectivism: Hollywood before and after 9/11…

The term coined by Friedrich Nietzsche and this theory explains that all ideations take place from particular perspectives.

If we compare two movies “Rambo III” and “American Sniper”, it can be seen that the ideologies change in accord to perspective.

“Taliban” … before 9/11, they were friends of US but after that top in list of enemies.

Before 9/11, Hollywood believed Afghanistan is a land of lions, the people of Afghanistan are brave. They portrayed in such a way that the enmity of Afghanistan and the poison of the snake results same.

And they encouraged that Afghanistan people can defeat USSR. But after 9/11, they changed their ideology in accord to battleground. The

heroes in their films shoot people of Afghanistan to head and says ‘Rest in Hell”.

Subjectivity/Perspectivism…

Perspectivism is the philosophical position that one's access to the world through perception, experience, and reason is possible only through one's own perspective and interpretation.

For example election voting and political campaign on media ,Movies themes

Judgementalism…

Judgementalism is the ‘ism’ explains to look at things with pre-opinionized way.

When Paris was under attack, the media was reporting it as the hall is under attacked which is located near Charlie Habdo’s office.

Holism

the theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannot exist independently of the whole, or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts.

All the patriotism appeals are best example of Holism. Mera mulk meri pehchan, Aao mil k school chaly

Realism and Advertisers

the attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly.

Advertisers show mediated reality. It means they are not practicing realism while representing it.

But if we evaluate advertisements on Watson's theory of Behaviorism, it is making sense to say that the advertisers get use of the environment in their appeals.

Patriotism appeals during sports, increase of fear appeals after 9/11 etc.

Chauvinism/Showinnism…

This ism refers to the notion of superiority complex that depicts that we are better than others.

The whole media is showing the picture of chauvinism. The American culture is promoted in such a way that it looks like the best among all.

Skepticism…

Skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something. "these claims were treated with skepticism“

Synonymous to doubt, disbelief, distrust etc.

Advertising recognized as an overt attempt at persuasion. Individuals become skeptical because they have the opportunity to contrast personal experience in their social and physical worlds with the social and physical worlds portrayed in the mass media.

Conclusion…

We have discussed different meta-theoretical considerations. We came to know about some isms commonly used in social

sciences in order to understand the social world. In order to place of mass communication on the Philosophical

traditions of social sciences. “Isms” make the way colorful in order to understand that.

Due to the arbitrariness of language and the ideologies of the owners of media, it needs to understand with the philosophical approach.

Thank you…