Science Must Fall? - UCT Fallist discusses Decolonization

C4Cat said:
Yes, but why do they believe such things?
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Why do you think they believe it? Why do you think these beliefs are any different to medieval superstitions about witches and warlocks that people have long since rejected?
 
C4Cat said:
source of the scientific studies you used to come to this conclusion please
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You want a study demonstrating that these things are part of black South African culture and whether or not education on the inherent dangers and inefficacies in a superstitious cultural practice helps with the abandoning of such practices?

Would you like a study on whether or not water is wet while we're at it?
 
C4Cat said:
source of the scientific studies you used to come to this conclusion please
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source of african scientists that have ever bothered to further the interest of "african sciences".


for some reason its been left up to "western science" to study and prove it, but western science must fall.
 
Nerfherder said:
The apology was for interrupting the speaker, she used the rules to hide from debating this guy.
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Rules shmules.. would have been funnier if the person had told the speaker to sit down and shut up, adults are involved now.
 
C4Cat said:
I don't know, that's why I'm saying science could focus on such questions.
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The problem being that belief in "black magic" is not unique, these sort of beliefs where common in medieval Europe (Witches, Warlocks, magic etc.) and where all rejected as charlatanry or superstition... Why would South African beliefs in magic be any different?

edit: BTW if you know of anyone that can proof their paranormal gifts they can collect a million dollars -no one has done it yet but if you think South African black magic is truly unique then the money is there for the taking...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Million_Dollar_Paranormal_Challenge
 
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porchrat said:
You want a study demonstrating that these things are part of black South African culture?

Would you like a study on whether or not water is wet while we're at it?
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I'm suggesting a study on why such beliefs persist, why they endure, what the psychological effects of them are, how they originate, what influence do they have on health and well being. Why do a majority of people trust sangomas more than doctors? Is this based on negative experiences with doctors or positive results from sangomas. The opportunities for african based research are endless
 
Cray said:
The problem being that belief in "black magic" is not unique, these sort of beliefs where common in medieval Europe (Witches, Warlocks, magic etc.) and where all rejected as charlatanry or superstition... Why would South African beliefs in magic be any different?
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Because it's all mixed up in racial identity now...intentionally so.
 
Cray said:
The problem being that belief in "black magic" is not unique, these sort of beliefs where common in medieval Europe (Witches, Warlocks, magic etc.) and where all rejected as charlatanry or superstition... Why would South African beliefs in magic be any different?
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African culture an tradition extends far beyond just 'black magic'
 
access said:
source of african scientists that have ever bothered to further the interest of "african sciences".


for some reason its been left up to "western science" to study and prove it, but western science must fall.
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Well that's the point isn't it - that science in africa is eurocentric rather than afrocentric.
 
C4Cat said:
African culture an tradition extends far beyond just 'black magic'
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I agree that there might be some medicinal knowledge of traditional healing that could do with investigation -especially with regards to herbs and the like - they may turn out to be nothing but it is worth investigating. The magic part is where superstition trumps common sense...
 
C4Cat said:
Well that's the point isn't it - that science in africa is eurocentric rather than afrocentric.
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What exactly is afrocentric science and how does it differ from "Eurocentric" science?
 
C4Cat said:
Oculate asked how many boys suffer from UNNECESSARY life threatening infections/gangrene due to these 'African' circumcision 'traditions' each year?
That sounds like a statistics question to me
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It was rather rhetorical...

No matter what the answer would be, the mortality rate for a procedure that shouldn't even have a mortality rate is too damn high... if this was done in a sterilized environment, the number of these 'botched' circumcisions would be drastically reduced

Nerfherder said:
The apology was for interrupting the speaker, she used the rules to hide from debating this guy.
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Ah my apologies for the misunderstanding
 
C4Cat said:
I'm suggesting a study on why such beliefs persist, why they endure, what the psychological effects of them are, how they originate, what influence do they have on health and well being. Why do a majority of people trust sangomas more than doctors? Is this based on negative experiences with doctors or positive results from sangomas. The opportunities for african based research are endless
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These studies are currently happening..

Its predominantly called Sociology, and its but a small branch of science
 
C4Cat said:
I'm suggesting a study on why such beliefs persist, why they endure, what the psychological effects of them are, how they originate, what influence do they have on health and well being. Why do a majority of people trust sangomas more than doctors? Is this based on negative experiences with doctors or positive results from sangomas. The opportunities for african based research are endless
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Do these questions not belong in the social sciences like, Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology?
 
C4Cat said:
Well that's the point isn't it - that science in africa is eurocentric rather than afrocentric.
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so all science comes from europe or the west... right. you are a fool.

i will name 2 things: abacus & black powder


i still want to know, why there is not black african sciences around this today, what is stopping them now and did previously.

your eurocentric argument means that a new word needs to be created for "science in africa".
 
C4Cat said:
I'm suggesting a study on why such beliefs persist, why they endure, what the psychological effects of them are, how they originate, what influence do they have on health and well being. Why do a majority of people trust sangomas more than doctors? Is this based on negative experiences with doctors or positive results from sangomas. The opportunities for african based research are endless
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This sort of research is happening. I myself once did research on the incidence of prostate cancer in a particular group of black South Africans and their relationship to mycotoxins in diet. So this research isn't just limited to sociology, it is happening all over the place. This is part of why I find this call to "decolonise science" so utterly laughable. It shows a total lack of understanding of what is going on in the sciences in this country at the moment.

Not surprising though. I imagine very few of these Fees Must Fall idiots are science and engineering students. Only humanities students could have the time to perform the sort of philosophical navel-gazing that results in statements like "decolonise science".
 
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