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Overview of "worldview": The term "world view" (a.k.a. "worldview") is borrowed from the German word "weltanschauung." It means a person's fundamental "world outlook," or life perspective. It refers to their perceptions of deity, humanity and the rest of the universe. "It represents our personal metaphysical outlook on life." Understanding one's personal worldview is important, because it is a main source of one's moral code, ethics and many other beliefs. As R. Wesley Hurd of McKenzie Study Center writes: understanding one's worldview helps people make sense of their world and make choices for living their lives. It helps one realize how different individuals can approach a seemingly straightforward issue such as abortion, and end up with opposite opinions. 2 One's beliefs about homosexuality, physician assisted suicide, the death penalty, corporal punishment of children, pre-marital sex, polygamy, stem cell research, inter-faith marriage and a host of other topics often flow logically from their worldview. People with different worldviews often assign different definitions to words like "pregnancy" and "homosexuality." They may use different definitions for truth. Open dialogue and problem solving is often very difficult among persons with different worldviews -- particularly if they have no insight of the role that their personal worldview has in determining their beliefs. The United States is generally regarded as the most religiously diverse country on Earth. Because religion and worldview are so closely linked, the U.S. probably has the greatest diversity of worldviews as well. |
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Definitions of "worldview:" According to:  | The FreeDictionary: The term means: | The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. | | A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group. | | | LaborLawTalk: "The term denotes a comprehensive set of opinions, seen as an organic unity...At all times, religious and political teachings were bases for forming worldviews; in fact, they were often worldviews themselves. For example, Christianity, Islam, socialism, Marxism, Scientology may be called worldviews; at least they generate clearly identifiable worldviews." | | Author Palmer Michael describes a worldview as consisting of six parts: | Ideology (e.g. beliefs in God, cosmology), | | Narrative (e.g. sacred writings and myths), | | Norms (e.g. ethics and morality), | | Rituals (e.g. activities designed to renew bonds), | | Experience (e.g. emotional and spiritual elements), and | | A social element (educating future generations). | | | Professor James Olthuis of the Toronto Institute for Christian Studies has written: "A worldview (or vision of life) is a framework or set of fundamental beliefs through which we view the world and our calling and future in it. The vision may be so internalized that it goes largely unquestioned; it may be greatly refined through cultural-historical development; it may not be explicitly developed into a systematic conception of life; it may not be theoretically deepened into a philosophy; it may not even be codified into creedal form. Nevertheless, this vision is a channel for the ultimate beliefs which give direction and meaning to life. | Problems with worldviews: People tend to adopt a worldview early in life, and often do not change it radically in adulthood. They often reject new understandings and discoveries in the fields of religion, culture, science, etc. out of hand because they are incompatible with their personal worldview. As James Olthuis writes, A person's worldview is often "largely unquestioned." To author James Sire, a worldview consists of: "...a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic make-up of our world." If one lacks understanding of their own worldview and/or is not aware of the diversity of worldviews within the culture, one is often mystified by the beliefs of others. This can lead to demonization of others, as is often seen between pro-choice and pro-life supporters. It can also lead to people having difficulty in converting others to their point of view. Hopefully, those people who become aware of the existence and content of their personal worldview will be able to alter it to accommodate changes in the culture. When adults who are now retired were entering their teens, racial segregation was a way of life; abortions were criminal acts in many states; homosexual behavior was outlawed and widely considered a mental illness; inter-racial marriage was outlawed in many states, and same-sex marriage was inconceivable. If this rate of social change continues into the future, today's youth will have difficulty coping. Teens who are aware of their own worldview may be able to better accommodate change. Unfortunately, the diversity of worldviews and religions in the national culture is not often included in school curricula. |
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