done review

Chapters Glossary Author Biographies Help The Beginning of Wisdom
An Introduction to Christian Thought and Life Chapter 1: Seeking Wisdom By James Waddell Chapter 1 Topics Introduction: A View of the World What Is a Worldview? How Do Worldviews Work? Private and Shared Worldviews Worldview Analysis and the Pursuit of Wisdom Conclusion Chapter Review References Introduction: A View of the World If, in essence, wisdom may be understood as the art of successful living, then it is important to consider what constitutes successful living. Sharp disagreements can arise when someone reports to know better than others about how one should live. However, as mentioned in the introduction, everyone must choose to live in one way or another because he or she believes that one way of living is better than others. People live according to fundamental convictions about the nature and purpose of the world around them, and they seek to make sense of the world based on those convictions. These convictions form what is called a worldview, which is the central focus of this chapter. Fundamental convictions about reality reside deep within the human heart where passions, affections, and motives are impossible to see, but these convictions visibly shape the ways people behave. Their actions display the ways they think about themselves and the world around them. This is not to say that one’s entire worldview may be observed in each action a person makes. Rather, everything that one does is rooted in his or her views of the world, to such a degree, that worldviews emerge in tangible and observable ways throughout the course of everyday life. A few examples may be helpful in illustrating this concept. Consider Joan, an employee at a local humanitarian aid association located in a rough neighborhood in the downtown section of her city. She interacts with the homeless, the mentally unstable, the broken, and the needy as well as prostitutes and drug addicts every day. In meeting with people in crisis, Joan always makes sure to remind each of them of something that is also one of her core beliefs in life: “Every person matters because every person has value and worth,” she says. In her car, however, Joan always seems to get intensely frustrated at those driving poorly around her on her commute home. It begins with a simple, “C’mon.” Then she grumbles, “Learn to drive! I can’t believe this moron.” And finally, with much honking of her car horn, she screams, “Get off the road, you waste of space!” along with several words that cannot be repeated here. Therefore, the questions arise: What does Joan really believe about the world around her and the people who live in it? Does she truly believe that every person matters because every person has value and worth? Or does she believe what she says and demonstrates in her car: namely, that each person needs to learn to drive or get out of her way because they are seemingly not worth her time? Why does she sometimes think and act according to one belief and later think and act according to what appears to be an opposite belief? What ultimately drives her thoughts and actions in these ways? Perhaps her deepest convictions are more complex than the simplistic statements she articulates when she is in a professional setting. The nation’s highest court offers a second example of the ways in which actions display fundamental convictions. It seems that every time the Supreme Court decides a politically charged case, social media explodes with diverse and extreme posts, pictures, and articles. The court's decision is presented in a fairly objective way that involves a majority ruling and a minority dissent. Yet, as one reads the deluge of public opinions that follow the court’s decision, it is possible to become confused. Many of the responses use language like “victory” or “landmark decision” while others use language like “travesty,” or “reprehensible decision.” For example, in wading through the swamp of politically charged issues such as reproduction technologies, one quickly encounters claims that this or that action “advances human potential” as well as claims that it “eliminates human life.” Why do people describe the same issue in such radically divergent ways? Although people responding to these issues are clearly observing the same world, they seem to be evaluating it based on very different standards. These examples raise several questions about the ways that individuals and groups of individuals make sense of the world around them and things that happen during the course of their lives. In order to make sense of these complex dynamics, it will be necessary to bring the concept of worldview a little more clearly into focus. What Is a Worldview? A good starting point for the exploration of any new concept is a clear definition. Essentially, a is a foundational set of assumptions to which one commits that serves as a framework for understanding and interpreting reality and deeply shapes one’s behavior. This definition can be divided roughly into four key parts that need to be carefully expanded and explained. While, initially, worldview, as a concept, may seem rather straightforward, worldviews are diverse in content and incredibly complex at the functional level. In many ways, they are as complex and mysterious as the people who hold them, and everyone has a worldview. Therefore, it will be necessary to look at the individual elements that make up the concept of worldview further before considering how a worldview shapes human action and interaction. Worldview Definitions While the book provides a thorough explanation of worldview, interacting with a few other definitions may help with the process of understanding what worldview is. Three other definitions can provide a more robust picture of the concept of worldview. Through a brief look, these definitions can emphasize various aspects of the book’s explanation of worldview. Ronald Nash (1999) defines worldview as “a conceptual framework, pattern, or arrangement of a person’s beliefs. The best worldviews are comprehensive, systematic, and supposedly true views of life and the world” (p. 13). One can note the key terms in the approach to worldview, such as conceptual, framework, and beliefs. Nash focuses on the mind and the assumptions that make up worldview and that drive beliefs, and his approach is more philosophical in nature. Kenneth Samples (2007) defines worldview as “how one sees life and the world at large” (p. 20). Samples focuses primarily on how worldview affects one’s perspectives. Though each person holds to his or her worldview with commitment, Samples also emphasizes that one’s worldview commitments could be incorrect or could rest on faulty assumptions. James Sire's (2004) definition serves as a more comprehensive picture of worldview, attempting to encompass as many elements of worldview studies as possible. A commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in 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 constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being (p. 122). While he includes the rational element of worldview (“a set of presuppositions”), Sire’s underlying point attempts to go deeper, into the heart (“commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart”). Sire also emphasizes the narrative element of worldview, that a worldview “can be expressed as a story,” which is explained in more detail in this chapter. A Set of Assumptions First, note that worldviews are composed of assumptions that form something like a foundation for every individual. Worldviews should not be thought of only as intellectual frameworks or philosophies that are simply made up of ideas and theories. Worldviews certainly provide an intellectual framework that enables the mind to make sense of data and interpret experience, but they are more fundamental than theories and philosophies. Before a person begins to theorize or develop a philosophy, that person already has in place a set of assumptions upon which to develop ideas and understandings. Theories are always built on the basis of underlying assumptions that enable the development of ideas and systems of thought. An is an underlying belief that is presupposed or presumed in advance of careful reason and reflection. A person’s fundamental assumptions serve as a framework for thoughtful analysis and judgment that make it possible to develop ideas and theories. When people interact with one another, they do not simply discuss ideas and opinions as if they have no preconceived notion about what they believe. They interact with others’ ideas and opinions on the basis of the ideas and opinions that they have already assumed to be true. In other words, assumptions are in play from the beginning of each conversation. They may be shaped through interaction with others, but everyone starts with underlying beliefs that enable meaningful interaction in the first place. In this way, worldviews provide the intellectual foundation upon which people build as they encounter and engage the world. Worldview assumptions typically involve content related to the following categories: theology (God), metaphysics (universe), anthropology (humanity), eternity (afterlife), epistemology (knowledge), ethics (morality), teleology (purpose), and personal commitments (Sire, 2009, pp. 22-23). Additional content may be incorporated into this set of assumptions, but these categories form the essential foundation upon which further understandings are constructed and refined. Commitment Second, a worldview is composed of assumptions to which a person commits. It is difficult to overemphasize the significance of this aspect of a worldview. One does not hold to a set of assumptions coldly and dispassionately as if they are merely a matter of theoretical significance. These commitments form the basis for the conceptual and imaginative world in which a person thinks and feels, lives and breathes, and acts and interacts with others. A person’s entire life is lived out in ways that are committed to particular ways of seeing, understanding, and evaluating the world. In this respect, one’s fundamental assumptions function as beliefs, whether religious or nonreligious, because the person who holds the assumptions must trust in them and live by them. It is important to note that a worldview relates to the whole person, not just the mind, in that it is shaped by an individual’s passions, beliefs, affections, and experiences in addition to the ideas that a person finds compelling. Individuals reason on the basis of worldview assumptions with their minds, but they also commit to assumptions with their hearts. This emphasis on both the mind and the heart helps people to understand what differentiates worldview from opinions and reasoning. Worldview is much more than just one’s opinion on a variety of topics. It involves the philosophical underpinnings for questions of ultimate reality, expressing what one understands the world to be. Worldview studies as a discipline gives attention to the mind and the rational process of determining truth, but worldview as a concept goes beyond a rational account of life, just as wisdom goes beyond knowledge. Each emphasizes not only the mind but also the heart. While the mind reasons to discern what is true, the heart brings innate patterns of desires and passion to questions of truth. Whenever forced to choose between the heart and the mind, people tend to follow their hearts and then develop a rationale to support their decisions. The process normally does not work in the other direction. For example, suppose that the nightly news reports scientific data related to the structure of the human mind that somehow challenges an individual’s assumptions about an ethical issue. The individual may choose to accept or reject the findings but likely will do so without personally studying the scientific data because of heart-felt convictions about right and wrong. This is not to suggest that worldviews are uninformed or that they are formed without reference to information that a person perceives through the senses or gathers through experience. Rather, it is to suggest that many fundamental convictions cannot be proven by gathering data or accumulating experience. Distinguishing between waking moments and a dream, for example, cannot be accomplished through the senses alone because many dreams are as vivid and real as the actual world. Yet, most people intuitively believe that they are awake at some points and asleep at others and that the two states can be distinguished to a significant degree. People also generally believe that basic logical and mathematical principles are self-evident and that red, blue, and yellow are colors they have seen, although these things need not and, indeed, cannot be proven. Properly speaking, these are basic beliefs because they must be believed before other beliefs can be formed. Several other significant assumptions are equally difficult to prove on the basis of empirical data and reason, but, nonetheless, they are trusted by those who hold them. Most people assume that the universe has existed for more than five minutes and that physical pain is real when they experience it. They trust that places like Delaware exist even if they have not visited the state personally. They tend to believe that several of their recently formed memories are authentic rather than illusions of the mind, and so on. All people begin with basic assumptions to which they must commit before they can think and act meaningfully. People trust in certain foundational assumptions and build other beliefs and understandings upon them. If one presses questions such as “Why do you believe this?” or “What makes you think that?” far enough it will eventually become apparent that some convictions are embraced on the basis of something more akin to than or observation. People commit at points because they must, not because they have sufficient proof. Thus, at the deepest level, worldviews involve faith commitments although, again, these may or may not be religious in the classical sense of the word. A Closer Look at Faith When considering explicitly religious worldviews, the influence of faith is easier to recognize. For example, people who believe in God will tend to develop other convictions openly on the foundational belief in a deity. When it comes to how individuals analyze and support their worldviews, they draw from the core belief that God exists. They may not be able to prove God’s existence beyond the shadow of a doubt, but their commitment to this belief affects other areas of their worldviews, such as questions about the origins of the universe and humankind. In essence, belief in God supports their worldview assumptions because they are committed to the presupposition that God exists. With worldviews that are not explicitly religious in the traditional sense, the influence of faith is also present; however, in such cases, the presence of faith is not explicit or as openly acknowledged. For example, people who do not believe in the supernatural will rest many other presuppositions on the foundational conviction that God does not exist. They will do so in spite of the fact that they cannot disprove God’s existence beyond the shadow of a doubt any more than one who believes that God does exist. When it comes to how they analyze and support their worldview, they draw from the core belief that there is no God although they cannot ultimately prove God’s nonexistence. Regardless, commitment to this belief affects other worldview convictions regarding such things as the origins of the universe and human beings. This does not necessarily mean that atheism is a religion. It simply means that all worldviews rest on fundamental commitments that are established and maintained on the basis of trust rather than indisputable proof. Framework for Understanding and Interpretation Third, worldviews form the conceptual framework that enables a person to make sense of information that is gathered through observation and experience. Whenever a person looks at the world and begins taking in information, that person intuitively processes the data in order to develop useful understandings. Categories are formed by the way in which data is sorted in order to form a mental picture of reality. This picture may be refined through additional observation and additional experience, but the end result is a description that serves as a basic framework for understanding. While bits of knowledge are being placed in mental categories and compared with other bits of data for the sake of description, the data is also evaluated. Some things seem important to notice while others are regarded as insignificant. People pass judgment on what they see and hear at the same time that they are processing information to gain understanding. The process of gathering knowledge about the world always involves the application of values, and those values represent a key aspect of each person’s worldview. Evaluation is never neutral. As a person attempts to make sense of the world, he or she also interprets what is seen based on his or her fundamental assumptions. Impact on Behavior Finally, worldviews deeply affect daily life. The set of assumptions that provides a foundational framework for thought also guides speech and action. In a sense, the implications of fundamental convictions trickle down to the level of behaviors that are expressed through everyday activities. For example, a person who believes that God exists will, to some degree, orient how he or she thinks about the purpose of life so that his or her life aligns with what God wants. Another person who does not believe in a supernatural being will conceive of purpose in a more human-centered way that does not emphasize God’s will and, instead, will order his or her life accordingly. At a deeper level, worldview shapes underlying values, motivations, and attitudes that give rise to particular actions. For example, a person may believe that no absolute and universal moral values exist. As a result, this person may not regard consensual sex outside of marriage to be an immoral activity and, therefore, will seek to find sexual fulfillment outside of a marital relationship. By contrast, one who believes that a divine being has articulated guidelines for morality, including sexual morality and marriage, may believe that one should conform his or her life to those guidelines. This person also believes that sexual fulfillment is desirable but one that is best pursued within the context of marriage. This person reasons that if God created human sexuality then he is in the best position to offer instruction about how people can maximize sexual satisfaction. No matter which of these views one personally holds, the point should be clear: Underlying assumptions, motives, values, and attitudes are reflected in behavior. Thoughts and actions give expression to worldview commitments, which means that worldviews are continually displayed through everyday behavior. In order to illustrate the relationship between worldview commitments and behavior, consider an iceberg. Only the tip of an iceberg appears above the water at any point, which means that most of an iceberg remains hidden below the surface. While the top of an iceberg may be formidable in its own right, in proportion to the larger mass that remains invisible, it is relatively small. In a similar way, a person’s actions give outward evidence of thoughts and convictions that lie deep below the surface. Actions are visible, whereas thoughts and the convictions that guide them remain hidden from sight. The sorts of things that are going on below the surface must be analyzed in order to arrive at a fuller understanding of how people see and understand the world in which they live. Worldview as a Concept A worldview, then, may be understood as a foundational set of assumptions to which a person commits. These assumptions provide a framework for understanding and interpreting reality, in that they help make sense of information and evaluate all that is observed and experienced. To some degree, this framework is conceptual but it involves the heart as much as the mind. Furthermore, fundamental assumptions about the world deeply affect behavior for better or for worse. As noted above, the relationship between an individual’s worldview and behavior is complex, but the implications of this connection are vital to understanding the ways that humans engage the world. Finally, in worldview analysis, it is important to account for the influence of both faith and reason. Worldviews begin to form before people are aware that they are trusting in anything. However, as individuals gain the ability to think analytically, they may support their initial beliefs, modify their understandings, or exchange flawed assumptions for new ones as necessary. Worldviews take shape on the basis of faith-level commitments and initial understandings, but they can be refined if prior commitments prove unreliable or irrational. This notion will be explored further throughout the remainder of the book. A Closer Look at Reason The influence of reason on worldviews merits further examination. In terms of worldview studies, reason may be understood as the reliance on evidence and logic to evaluate assumptions. If faith involves a commitment to certain assumptions, then reason is the evidence and thought used to support the commitment. For example, an atheist might use certain scientific evidence regarding evolution as a form of reason to support a belief that God does not exist. Someone who believes in God, by contrast, might use philosophical evidence as a form of reason to support the belief that God does exist. In both cases, reason is employed to support a position and allows for a critical analysis of others’ worldview assumptions. Reason, as an element of worldview, therefore, involves conscious thinking about the set of assumptions that make up worldview. Several types of evidence fall under the scope of reason. This evidence can be used to shape or support one’s personal worldview or to disprove others’ worldviews. The analysis of worldviews always involves reason, and yet individuals tend to form their reasoning about worldviews with faith influencing commitments along the way. When studying worldview, one must understand the relationship between faith and reason. Several important questions emerge about the relationship of faith and reason. Does faith or reason take precedence in worldview formation? Which of the two primarily influences worldview analysis? How do faith and reason interact in particular worldviews? What about doubt and fear—how do these concepts affect the study of faith and reason? These sorts of questions and themes will be explored in Chapter 8 of this book. How Do Worldviews Work? It is one matter to understand what a worldview is, but it is another to consider how worldviews function during the course of an individual’s life. A series of analogies may shed additional light on the practical implications of worldviews by outlining the various ways that one’s convictions impact behavior. Although none of these analogies is perfect or complete in itself, each offers some important clues about the complex relationship between fundamental convictions and human behavior. Foundation of a Building Worldviews are like the foundation of a building: They form a basis that supports and gives shape to the entire structure that is built atop them. Just as the foundation of a building sometimes lies underground, worldviews generally remain hidden from direct observation. Nonetheless, they always give shape to the parts of the building that can be seen. And, as with buildings, entire lives are constructed on the basis of worldviews that largely remain hidden from sight even though they profoundly impact the shape of those lives. Additionally, a building’s foundation must be strong enough to hold up the building above it. The strength of the foundation determines the strength of the building. Even if the upper parts of the structure appear to be secure, the entire building is at risk if there are cracks in the foundation. Similarly, the strength of a worldview determines whether or not all that is built upon it can endure the many challenges that individuals face during the course of their lives. If inconsistencies or errors plague one’s worldview, the entire edifice of an individual’s life will be at risk as trials and tribulations come. Finally, once a foundation is in place, the larger construction above it naturally assumes a shape that is consistent with that of the foundation. From the perspective of worldview studies, this means that an individual’s basic assumptions determine the sort of life that can be lived by the individual who holds them. Just as a skyscraper cannot be constructed on top of a foundation designed for a single-family home, worldview commitments narrow one’s options. To be direct, this means that an individual who hopes to build something magnificent would be wise to give careful attention to the sort of foundation with which he or she begins. Lenses Worldviews are also like the lenses found in eyeglasses that serve as the means through which a person sees the world. The analogy of lenses helps explain how worldviews influence the ways people look at the world. Following the example of eyeglasses, notice that lenses enable a person to see clearly and accurately. A person wearing glasses always views the world around them through lenses, and the lenses shape everything that the person observes. Similarly, worldviews shape the ways that people see; however, in the case of worldviews, everyone looks at the world through the “lenses” of their fundamental assumptions. Just as eyeglasses determine how accurately a person sees things around them, a worldview determines how accurately a person perceives reality. For example, if two people witness a car accident and each assigns blame to a different driver, it will be difficult to determine which driver is at fault. Imagine, however, that in an interview with police after the accident the police learn that one of the witnesses just received a new eyeglass prescription that is not working well. This information casts doubt on that witness’s ability to see the accident well, much the same way a faulty or inadequate worldview makes seeing the world accurately a difficult task at best. In addition to serving as the means by which a person sees reality, a person’s worldview lenses are also the means by which a person interprets and assesses reality. On one hand, foundational assumptions cause individuals to focus on certain elements of reality more than others. On the other hand, these assumptions serve as a filter for evaluating the things that a person sees by enabling them to interpret and assess observations and experience. Box Top of a Jigsaw Puzzle Worldviews are also like the image on the top of a jigsaw puzzle’s box (Cosgrove, 2006). As a jigsaw puzzle comes together, it presents a picture of reality as the various pieces of a puzzle are connected with one another. The picture on the box top serves as a sort of map or guideline for the placement of the individual pieces. Without the box top, especially for larger puzzles, one would have an extremely difficult time knowing where to begin placing the individual pieces. Similarly, a worldview offers the guidance needed to respond to questions, evaluate ideas, and interpret experience as one encounters the world. Like a puzzle’s box top, worldviews help a person make sense of the particulars of life by offering a big picture that helps connect smaller pieces. For example, suppose that an individual gets into a car and needs to decide whether to put on a seatbelt before driving. Taken in isolation from a big-picture understanding of the issues involved, this rather simple decision would be difficult to make. Although it is easy to take for granted, wearing a seatbelt only makes sense in light of understandings about a seatbelt’s potential for protecting human life. But, in light of these broader understandings, most people are able to decide to put on a seatbelt because they recognize that it makes sense in light of their broader convictions about the value of human life and the value of their individual lives. Story Finally, worldviews function like an overarching story that enables individuals to gather various data and experiences into a coherent scheme that makes sense. This analogy is more complicated than the others, but it draws out the fact that various aspects of individual experience, or one’s individual story, can only be interpreted in light of an overarching Story about reality. In this way, a worldview offers a grand narrative of the world that enables individuals to grasp the significance of their individual story as it unfolds. In attempting to understand worldview as story, one must appreciate the significance of discovering the overarching story of reality. Worldview can find expression as a comprehensive story of reality that attempts to explain the meaning of life, the origins and nature of the universe, human destiny, and issues of knowledge and morality. It is a grand narrative, an all-encompassing, explanatory story that makes sense of reality. People have a story about their lives that shapes who they are and forms their interpretations of the world, and each individual’s life bears the characteristics of a good story: characters (key people who influence one’s life), setting (the cultural and social factors that influence beliefs), plot (the events that one experiences), and conflict (the crises or sufferings that one faces). As a person’s life story unfolds, he or she forms significant assumptions about what reality is and how the world works. For example, when people become seriously ill, they tend to connect the experience to their broader understandings of reality as they try to make sense of unwelcome pain and suffering. A person who envisions a world governed by a vindictive God, for instance, may interpret the sickness as a result of God’s anger for something the person has done. In this telling of the story, the individual lives in a setting in which a vindictive God is a major character who brings down afflictions on those who offend him. Resolution of the crisis would require that this God relent or that the afflicted individual figure out a way to placate him. By contrast, a person who envisions a world without a God of this sort would tell the story very differently, as would a person who does not believe God exists at all. Essentially, the way that individuals tell their stories depends significantly on their understanding of a much larger story of reality. Interestingly, proponents of each worldview claim to present the most accurate story of reality, either explicitly or implicitly. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien (2006), in his essay “On Fairy Stories,” explained that Christianity is the tale that has “the inner consistency of reality,” making it the true story of the universe (p. 159). Many stories exist and have existed throughout the history of humanity. At this early point in the discussion, it is not possible to adequately evaluate any of these stories. Rather, it is important to note that people think and act within a particular narrative framework that they believe to be the true story. Whether true or false, accurate or inaccurate, this framework provides a powerful means of understanding and expressing fundamental convictions about the nature and purposes of human life. Ways Worldviews Function In sum, worldviews function in ways that may be understood more clearly with reference to a few key analogies. In many ways, worldviews are like the foundation of a building in that they support and give shape to everything that is constructed upon them. Likewise, worldviews operate like a set of lenses that enable people to perceive reality and interpret it. Once again, worldviews function like the top of a puzzle box by providing a big picture of reality that can serve as a guideline for making sense of smaller pieces as one tries to fit them together. And finally, worldviews offer an overarching story of reality that helps people make sense of their own personal story. Taken together, these analogies help draw out the fact that worldviews are in play as people look out at the world and make judgments about how to live within it. Private and Shared Worldviews To some degree, the study of worldviews relates to individual assumptions that are shaped by personal experiences and commitments. However, worldviews also undergird systems of belief and practice that shape communities and distinguish one group of people from another. For instance, an individual may self-identify as a Christian because of a particular set of understandings and convictions that align with Jesus Christ and his teachings. The same person also may identify as a member of the Christian community, presumably meaning that his or her understandings and convictions align with a group of people who hold at least some major beliefs in common. The same would be true of an atheist, a Buddhist, or a Sikh who identify themselves individually as such but who also identify with a larger group of people who share their convictions. The approach to worldview at the start of this chapter emphasized the sort of individual convictions belonging to a single person, which may be considered a private worldview. describes an individual’s personal view of the world that is shaped by that individual’s life story, experience, social and cultural context, and relationships. A second approach to worldview, which may be termed shared worldview, focuses on the shared foundational convictions and practices of a group. refers to a set of foundational assumptions that groups of individuals hold in common. These assumptions are shaped by a community of thinkers and practitioners across times and places. Shared worldviews are often expressed through a shared language or vocabulary, a common set of beliefs, and similar practices. Private and shared worldviews both represent part of the overall dynamic that shapes thought and action. Individuals are relational beings who participate in communities by contributing their personal perspectives and passions and by drawing deeply on those of others. It is not always easy to discern precisely how much a community shapes an individual’s fundamental assumptions or vice versa but it is generally important to account for individuals and groups in analyzing worldview assumptions. Private Worldview Analysis Worldviews begin to take shape at birth because people generally begin trying to make sense of the world as soon as they enter it. Before understanding what is happening, a person will begin thinking and acting by forming patterns of underlying beliefs and by refining those beliefs. Therefore, worldviews influence thought and shape behavior long before people are even capable of saying words like “worldview.” As with other areas of development, the formation of one’s worldview occurs most rapidly during adolescence and early adulthood as people mature mentally, physically, emotionally, and so forth; however, worldviews are continually shaped throughout an individual’s life. As a private phenomenon, worldview includes the influence of a person’s life experiences on certain worldview assumptions. Because all people have key influences in their lives, uncovering these influences will help in discovering their worldview assumptions. To a large degree, this is a matter of reflecting on one’s personal story. This requires delving below the surface to uncover the source and nature of major values and convictions that have been instilled in a person over time through interactions with family, friends, teachers, influential figures, and the culture in which one is raised. Additionally, fundamental beliefs, whether acknowledged or not, lead to particular ways of thinking and particular courses of action. Although these underlying beliefs are at play in everyone’s life, drawing them out into the open for investigation and evaluation may be difficult for some. A series of categories are identified in Chapter 2 that may provide a starting point for this aspect of the investigation into one’s private worldview. Shared Worldview Analysis As a shared phenomenon, worldview includes the influence of peers, society, culture, group affiliation, upbringing, and education. Shared worldviews, however, are not merely the product of passive conditioning as if nurture in every case trumps nature and personal choice. Worldviews also are shared in the sense that people tend to affiliate with others of like mind and conviction. As a result, shared worldviews typically involve shared beliefs. These beliefs may be religious or they may relate to philosophical understandings, political ideology, or moral convictions. Within the academic realm, scholars and students often are influenced deeply by particular schools of thought or thinkers. In these cases, one or more shared worldviews can shape the entire discipline profoundly. Such has been the case in the hard sciences, the social sciences, history, literature, and philosophy during the modern era. Christianity may be offered as a concrete example of a shared worldview that is rooted in religious conviction. At the heart of the Christian worldview are certain core beliefs that have been shared by Christians since the days of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry. These core beliefs are expressed succinctly in the Nicene Creed, which was penned in the fourth century AD. Other worldviews may be shared as well. In some cases, shared worldviews relate to a major world religion such as Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism but nonreligious convictions may also provide a basis for shared worldview. A philosophy like naturalism or a political ideology like Marxism, for example, can provide a substantial basis of shared understandings and convictions. Individuals within all of these groups may disagree at some points, but they will tend to unite and interact with one another based on that which they hold in common. Finally, it is important to note that one does not need to choose between private and shared worldviews in attempting to understand the influence of underlying assumptions. Individuals are a product of both their environments and their choices; therefore, worldviews take form as a result of private and shared influences (Sire, 2004). Recognizing that both types of influence shape the ways people see, think, and live should prove helpful by providing a more balanced and complete picture of the dynamics that shape worldview. Group dynamics are notoriously complex and, in the case of worldviews, people may identify with multiple groups. To the degree that an individual identifies with a particular group, that individual’s private worldview will be consistent with the shared worldview; however, the opposite is also true. For instance, a person who merely self-identifies as a Hindu has not yet offered much detail about his or her personal convictions or private practices because, typically, Hinduism describes a world religion with millions of adherents who are incredibly diverse in matters of thought and practice. In general, one who intends to understand private and shared worldviews will be wise to explore both private and shared assumptions carefully. Nicene Creed The Nicene Creed, which appears below, is a collection of belief statements that affirm the essential beliefs of the Christian worldview. Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, as well as Protestants would all affirm the beliefs claimed in the creed. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Worldview Analysis and the Pursuit of Wisdom Interestingly, as people consider how they think about the basic nature of the world in which they live, they may be surprised to find that they already approach life with certain preconceptions. Although these do not often enter into one's conscious mind, they still guide thought and action. This may be surprising because, as noted above, a person’s worldview begins to take shape before critical thought and careful reflection are possible. Worldview formation is a complex process that involves individual perception and reflection, but it also involves the influence of one’s social and physical environment. In some ways, the process of drawing out unconscious assumptions and reflecting on them can be uncomfortable at first because the assumptions typically function in the background of one’s thinking and, thus, go unnoticed. Bringing these assumptions into the conscious mind is similar in some ways to thinking about an involuntary action, such as breathing. Breathing occurs naturally and without much thought until one attempts to think directly about the process of drawing air into the lungs and exhaling—the same can be true of worldview analysis. Self-Analysis Although difficult, self-analysis is a vital starting point for anyone who hopes to live an examined life on the basis of carefully and consciously chosen understandings about the nature and purpose of the world. The analysis of a person’s worldview allows an individual the opportunity to acknowledge the preferences, biases, and predispositions with which one begins. The more one understands one's approach to the world and reality, the more he or she can examine and evaluate his or her assumptions and refine them as necessary. In this way, studying worldview can open up a person to a more objective pursuit of wisdom that concerns itself more with understanding reality than saving face and holding on to one’s initial assumptions. It is important to note that reality is objective even though one’s perceptions and interpretations are always subjective to some degree. In other words, reality exists outside of one’s understanding of it and continues to exist whether or not an individual likes what is observed. To offer one example, a sunrise occurs each morning whether anyone sees it happen or not. As the sun rises in the sky, it gives off bright light and color and does not stop doing so when people observing the phenomenon describe the event inaccurately. The event objectively happens. An individual’s experience of the event, however, is a more subjective affair. The same is true of reality in general. Ultimately, whatever is real exists in an objective way that does not depend on individual experience or personal interpretation. People simply do not have the power to alter reality as a whole. Interpretations of reality may differ but reality remains unaltered. The first challenge, then, is to discover the assumptions that are already being made and to determine if they provide an adequate foundation for the life the individual hopes to live. The Pursuit of Wisdom Many live out their lives based on unconscious assumptions that, for the most part, remain unexamined. Until these assumptions are drawn out and carefully evaluated, it is difficult, if not impossible, to live in ways that are intentionally chosen and purposeful at the deepest levels. Those who make an effort to investigate the underlying convictions that shape their lives will find themselves in a better position to evaluate and adjust patterns of thought and behavior. Worldview analysis can play a key role in the challenging process of understanding and evaluating the assumptions that shape one’s life. Once an individual recognizes the nature of a worldview and understands how worldviews function, that individual has begun to understand the ways that underlying convictions impact thought and action. These are initial steps toward what Socrates famously referred to as an examined life (Plato, 1966). The examined life offers an individual several advantages over an unexamined existence. Most importantly, choosing to live an examined life affords an individual the opportunity to pursue wisdom intentionally. In some ways worldview as a concept parallels the classical notion of wisdom. Worldview and wisdom both relate to understandings and beliefs that stem from the mind and heart. Unfortunately, modern people sometimes emphasize ideas to the neglect of the deeper aspects of human nature, including the affections, motives, and attitudes of the heart. Many ancient cultures understood the need to analyze the intricate spiritual, psychological, and intellectual lives that people led in order to make progress toward wisdom. For these reasons, they pursued wisdom as the means to a good life that served the public good and led to personal fulfillment and satisfaction. Of course, ancient people were successful or unsuccessful to various degrees because they conceived of wisdom in different ways and, thus, followed different paths in their pursuit. In choosing a path, modern people must be careful as well because various notions about reality lead down paths that veer off in very different directions. Several options are open and many promise a successful life, but they cannot all deliver on that promise. Therefore, the path should be chosen with careful deliberation and some forethought about where each path actually leads. The study of worldviews can help a person find the path that genuinely leads toward wisdom. In the search for wisdom, one must begin with a careful examination of the foundational framework that is already in place. Each person possesses a worldview and is currently living based on that basic framework. This means that no one begins to pursue wisdom as a casual observer who looks out at the world from a position of neutrality. Everyone has already committed to fundamental assumptions and is living them out when the process begins. Conclusion As this chapter has explained, a worldview is a foundational set of assumptions to which one commits. This set of assumptions serves as a framework for understanding and interpreting reality and deeply shapes one’s behavior. The chapter has not aimed to provide an understanding of every available worldview option. Rather, it has aimed to examine worldview as a concept and to offer a means of employing that concept in the pursuit of wisdom. Analyzing every possible worldview is well beyond the scope of this book. Still, it will be possible to build upon initial understandings of what a worldview is and how it functions by outlining the key elements that make up a worldview and identifying major worldview families. Additionally, it will be necessary to consider how one can objectively analyze and evaluate any particular worldview. These topics provide the focus of the next chapter. Chapter Review Main Ideas Worldview is the foundational set of assumptions to which one commits, which serves as a framework for understanding and interpreting reality and deeply shapes one’s behavior. People behave as they do because they believe certain truth claims. Everyone has a worldview. Each person builds his or her beliefs on the foundation of worldview, each person interprets reality through the lens of worldview, and each person attempts to fit beliefs together according to the puzzle-box picture of worldview. Worldview tells a story of reality through which one explains the world. Worldviews can be described as both private and shared. Private worldview describes one’s personal convictions about reality and shared worldview describes the shared convictions of a community. Worldview is supported by both faith and reason. Every worldview requires both faith and reason. Key Terms Assumption: An underlying belief that is presupposed or presumed in advance of careful reason and reflection. Faith: The process of committing to particular presuppositions; the act of trusting in Jesus Christ to define one’s self, which constitutes a transformation of a person’s spirit from selfishness to selflessness. Private worldview: The formation of a worldview as shaped by an individual’s life story, experience, society, culture, and relationships, and therefore expressed by individualized language, belief, and practice. Reason: The process of evaluating, and then supporting, modifying, or rejecting particular presuppositions. Shared worldview: The formation of a worldview as shaped by a community of thinkers and practitioners across times and places, and therefore expressed by shared language, beliefs, and practices. Worldview: A foundational set of assumptions to which one commits that serves as a framework for understanding and interpreting reality and deeply shapes one’s behavior. Application of Knowledge The chapter can be used as a starting point for understanding and evaluating one’s own worldview. Understanding the concept of worldview begins the process of putting words to one’s own worldview and assessing the various influences on worldview that have been experienced throughout one’s life. A person could use the information covered in this chapter to begin understanding other worldviews. The study of worldview easily lends itself to an understanding of and respect for the worldviews of others. Dialogue and discussion between worldviews can occur when one understands what worldview is and how worldview functions. Along with worldview understanding, one can gain an understanding and appreciation of what motivates different people to think and to act in the ways that they do. In this way, learners can become more understanding toward others who hold different worldviews as they realize the influence of worldview on another’s life. Questions for Reflection What worldview assumptions come to mind as you think of your own worldview commitments? Which of these are the most important or foundational to your view of the world? How would you define the concept of worldview in your own words? What analogy would you use to express the main points of your definition? How does your own worldview incorporate influence from shared worldviews? How has your worldview been shaped as a private worldview? How have influences from shared and private worldview affected the formation of your worldview? Resources for Further Reading Sire, J. (2004). Naming the elephant: Worldview as a concept. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Wilkens, S., & Sanford, M. (2009). Hidden worldviews: Eight cultural stories that shape our lives. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. References Cosgrove, M. (2006). Foundations of Christian thought: Faith, learning, and the Christian worldview. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications. Nash, R. (1999). Life’s ultimate questions: An introduction to philosophy. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. Plato. (1966). Plato in twelve volumes (Vol. 1). (H. N. Fowler, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Samples, K. (2007). A world of difference: Putting Christian truth-claims to the worldview test. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. Sire, J. (2004). Naming the elephant: Worldview as a concept. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Sire, J. (2009). The universe next door: A basic worldview catalog (5th ed.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. powered by | Academic Web Services | Grand Canyon University © 2016