Science on Television : a Representational Site for Mediating Ideology

Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 1-1-1995 Science on television : A representational site for mediating ideology Helen C. Singleton Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Film and Media Studies Commons Recommended Citation Singleton, H. C. (1995). Science on television : A representational site for mediating ideology. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1187 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1187 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. MASTER OF AR1S (MEDIA STUDIES) THESIS Science on ti!levisfon: A representational s:ite for mediating ideology. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Arts in Media Studies. Submitted by: HELEN C. M. SINGLETON, B.A. (English) Media Studies Department, School of Language, Literature and Media Studies, EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY. Date of submission: 27th December, 1995. 2 ABSTRACT. The emergence of a new science paradigm has been identified. It is characteristically dei.cribed as structuring an organic, holistic and ecological framework for understanding the nature of reality, The modem scientific paradigm with its characteristic underlying inorganic, reductive, and mechanistic vision of reality, discursively dominates Western societies' cultural sense-making with its attempts to unlock the 'mysteries' of nature. The radically different characteristics of the new paradigm science is linked to 'rising culture' articulated in the exploratory social r:hange of alternative social movements. The holistic principles and ecological values found variously in the environment, feminist. and new age/holistic health, peace and indigenous people's movements link to the new paradigm. Both factual and fictional television texts engaging discursively with science, present a representational site for different cultural expression of the preferred meanings of ideology of two radically different paradigmatic frameworks. 3 DECLARATION I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgment any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; and that to the best of my knowledge and belief it does not contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text. Signature ... 'l..1,- ,D I • ''1~ Date ................. /.~=C............... .. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. The author wishes to gratefully acknowledge help obtained from the following: Dr. David McKie, Lecturer, Department of Media Studies, School of Language Literature, and Media Studies, Arts Faculty, Edith Cowan University, who supervised this challenging and complex thesis. Mr. Michael O'Shaunhassy, Lecturer, Department of Media Studies, School of Language, Literature, and Media Studies, for his constructive criticism in guiding the final draft James P. Singleton, B.A,. M.T.C.P., M.R.A.P.I, A.I.L.A., Senior Environmental Planner, Dames and Moore Environmental Engineers for his informal and sustaining guidance throughout the development of the thesis. AnneMarec O'Brien, Education Projects Manager, Australian Children's Television Foundation, for readily making available relevant Skytrackers episodes and resource material. Cherrie Bottger, Executive Producer, Totally Wild, Ten Network for background information. Alison Leigh, Executive Producer, Quantum Science Unit A.B.C. Television for support material. 5 LIST OF TABLF.5 TABLE 1: The Narrative Focus and Framing of Ouantum.Q..2W.. 59 TABLE 2: Beyond 2000 0994) Locational and Narrative Focus 77 TABLE 3: ~es Included in Beyond 2000. 82 TABLE 4: Totally Wild Narrative fr:i.m~ 100 TABLE 5: Setting and Narrative Synopsis of Captain Planet. 115 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS. page. Abstract 2 Declaration 3 Acknowledgements 4 List of Tables 5 Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 Rising Culture ar:.d the Shifting Paradigms of Science 8 1.2 Paradigm: Framework for Scientific Theory 10 1.3 Hegemony: Models for Cultural Maintenance and Change 13 1.4 The Key Scientific Characteristics of the Two Paradigms 15 1.5 The Holistic Principles of The New Paradigm. 15 1.6 The Ecological Values of The New Paradigm 15 2. Background 2.1 The Modern Paradigm: Scientific Framework 17 2.2 The New Paradigm: Scientific Framework 20 2.3 The New Paradigm: Holistic Framework 26 2.4 The New Paradigm: Ecological Framework 33 2.5 Summary 35 3. Media Studies 3.1 Paradigm Frameworks -Articulating Change 37 3.2 Media Studies Discourse -The Scientific Characteristics 38 3.3 Cultural Manifestations of the Discursive Struggle 43 3.4 New Directions 45 PART2 4. Methodology 47 5. Science on TV: Textual Analysis· Regimes of Facts 5.1 Introduction 51 / 7 5.2 Quantum: Conventional episode 54 Quantum: "The New Genesis" 5.3 Beyond 2000 73 5.4 Totally Wild 98 5.5 Findings and Discussion 108 6. Science on TV: Textual Analysis· Regimes of Fiction 6.1 Introduction 111 6.2 Captain Planet and the Planeteers 112 6.3 The X-Files 125 6.4 Skytrackers 140 6.5 Findings and Discussion 150 7.Summary 153 8. Conclusion 160 9. References 163 B Chapter 1. 1 I. Introduction / 1.1. Rising Culture anlthe Shifting Paradigms of Science. This thesis focuses on science on television. Science on television presents a site in which to engage with the cultural manifestations of the ideology of scientific paradigms in their quest for a representational voice. The concept of competing paradigms and paradigm shifts provides a useful framework to discuss key social shifts in values, principles and practices that link to the paradigms of science and non-science knowledge discourses. Identifying the different paradigmatic ideologies enables this thesis to discuss them in relationship to different the rhetorical modes of television. Analysis of television science texts reveals the ideology of the modern paradigm and the new paradigm and the links between these meanings and representational strategies. The core structure of the modem paradigm is sourced from various historical discursive attempts to unlock the 'mysteries' of nature. Derived from the theory of philosophy and science, the modern paradigm constitutes the framework underpinning the ideology of comprehensive historical term 'modernism'. This thesis employs the concept of 'the new paradigm' as a meta '. rhetorical framing device to identify the core struc.turc that underscores various revolutionary post modern paradigm shifts in both science and non·sciencc knowledge discourses. The new paradigm has been variously identified in science (Capra & Steindl-Rast, 1992), economics (Henderson, 1991), polities (McLaughlin & Davidson, 1994), .ind cultural studies {Jones, 1993). The emergence of this new paradigm represents a radicnl chnilenge to the hegemonic t:iinking of the Western world. Until recently the modern pnradigm dominated European scientific and cultural sense-making to guid ! its underlying vision of reality. The framework to the modern pnradigm can be traced back to various philosophical and scientific achievements of the seventeenth century Scientific Revolution, and the eighteenth century Enlightenment. According to Habermas (cited in Harvey, 1989, p. 13) this led to incredibly optimistic visions which created "the extravagant expectation that the arts and sciences would promote not only the control of natural forces, but also understnnding of the world, of the self, moral progress, the justice of institutions and even the happiness of human beings." Habermas (1983) called this collective cultural movement the "project" of modernity. Embracing the visions of modern science. the project of modernity constructed thr:: Western world's dominant rationale and beliefs on the basis of a mechanistic world view, Noted physicist and systems theorist, Fritjof Capra (1993) summarises the nature of mo<lern paraJigm framing on I' :I dominant meanings as: 9 The view of the universe as a mechanical system composed of elementary building blocks (the influence of Cartesian philosophy and Newtonian physics); correspondingly, the view of the human body as a machine, which is the conceptual basis of the theory and practice of our medical Gcience; the view of life in society as a competitive struggle for existence (inherited from the Social Darwinists); and the belief in unlimited progress to be achieved

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