Human beings are guided by various beliefs that serve as proof for their existence on earth. The ideas present their purpose on earth and the direction in which their lives are supposed to head. These beliefs are defined as worldviews. Worldviews provide the truth of the nature of reality which guides human beings in their daily lives (Sire, 2015). The worldviews are based on assumptions on the nature of reality which serve as fundamentals for the living. There exist various worldviews including postmodernism, pluralism, and naturalism. The three worldviews hold different beliefs such that those accustomed to them believe their way to be the truth. One’s worldview is understood by answering the eight questions on worldviews as presented below.
What is the prime reality- the real?
Prime reality varies depending on the worldviews. Prime reality is based on one principle that reigns over everything else on earth. God and matter are considered to be the prime reality. The nature of God as omnipotent and omniscient makes Him know and understand all things, thus proving the authenticity of Him as the prime reality for theists (Fisher, 2012).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
According to Christianity, God is supreme and is considered to be the source of all life and all that exists on earth. As such He is the eternal principle that defines everything else on earth. The knowledge of God allows Him to make all things including man, who was created in His image and likeness.
Naturalists refer to matter as the prime reality based on the belief that all things exist as matter in their basic form. As a result, all things are formed from matter through the combination with energy (Van Huyssteen & Wiebe, 2011). Matter and energy exist in a determinate relationship (Sire, 2015). According to naturalism, human spirituality is sustained by living matter and energy.
Pluralism, on the other hand, views the spiritual universe as the prime reality (Fisher, 2012). The spiritual universe consists of a combination of god, the mind, one and all. Pluralists believe that it is from the spiritual universe that the world came to be. Hence, everything exists in a spiritual nature. Pluralists denounce the fact that the prime reality can be defined by a single concept. According to them, there are other constructs that determine reality, such as the mind, god, and the material cosmos among others (Nath, 2014) . The material cosmos presents an orderly system which forms the prime reality.
What is the nature of external reality, the reality that’s the world around us?
The world around us exists in the form of matter which is both subjective and objective. Subjectively, the nature of external reality is determined by one’s personal relationship to the world. Objectively, the nature of external reality is dependent on the purpose of the world around us (Nath, 2014) . Naturalists believe that external reality is made up of different dimensions which produce life. These dimensions have different laws of nature which determine the life that is created. These laws hold the universe together and guide the inner and outward functioning of the world (Bell, 2016). They all serve as guiding principles for life on earth.
Postmodernism views the external reality as consisting of social constructs that keep on changing. Therefore, external reality cannot be described objectively due to its changing nature. The truth in external reality is subjective because what one worldview might view as valid is not necessarily the truth. Hence, there is no one truth. External reality is accessed through ordinary and varied stages of consciousness. These access pathways reveal aspects of visible and invisible external reality. Awareness and personal perceptions of oneself define invisible reality. The apparent fact is continuously changing as it is in the form of consciousness (Bell, 2016). It exists as a combination of the spirit and matter, which is the form in which life exists. The ideas and perceptions of external reality are formed through the collaboration of language, relations and motivation (Nath, 2014) . As such, it is evident that external reality and the nature of the world are construed by culture and cultural practices. Culture is not static as it keeps evolving, same way as the external reality evolves.
What is a human being?
A human being is formed from the combination of the spirit, attitudes, and personality that allows one to achieve self-awareness. Naturalists define human beings as highly evolved animals whose evolution started from a primitive nature to a wittier quality (Fisher, 2012). Human beings have achieved various attitudes and higher self-awareness that forms their personalities and cause them to be who they are. As a result of the self-awareness, human beings can build societies and systems that allow for proper functioning of the communities.
According to Christian Theism, human beings are profoundly spiritual beings that have personalities and are made in God's image (Fisher, 2012). They exist as a result of God’s creation. These humans are capable of making moral choices dependent on their personalities. Their actions are guided by the nature of God and the rules laid out by Him.
Pluralists, on the other hand, view human beings as spiritual beings that exist in temporary material bodies (Fisher, 2012). Human beings have a higher purpose which is meant to live in a form more elevated than their physical bodies allows them to. These beings have the freedom of making their own choices as they are answerable to only themselves. In pluralism, human beings exist as spiritual beings in the form of the mind, god and all.
What happens to a person at death?
Death is considered as the stage at which life on earth comes to an end. Upon death, a person’s soul and breath leave their bodies causing the person to depart from the world. Various worldviews have different aspects on what happens to a person after death. Naturalists believe that death is the end of existence and that there is no life after death (Fisher, 2012). A person’s presence in all dimensions comes to an end once a person dies, hence, ruling out the possibilities of a soul existing after it has departed the body.
Postmodernism believes in life after death. After death, a person enters into another conscious state that allows them immortality after death (Fisher, 2012). Dead people, in postmodernism, come into another life either in heaven or hell, according to the lives they lived on earth. The afterlife is a concept that serves as a reward to human beings after they die.
Pluralists, on the other hand, also believe in the afterlife. After death, a person enters into another stage in the infinite life (Fisher, 2012). In this case, there are beliefs about reincarnation whereby a person loves again in a different form and body. Rebirth usually happens when dead beings take the kind of animals. The different worldviews present different ideas that define life after death.
Why is it possible to know anything at all?
Cognition is the ability to know and perceive things. Perception is dependent on various issues as defined by the different worldviews. One’s ability to know anything is guided by scientific methods that explain why multiple aspects exist as they are (Fisher, 2012). According to naturalism, human beings are highly evolved animals-an element that allows them to reason. Humans rely on logic and intuition as a source of knowledge, which is guided by the works of science. Cognition leads to self-identification which these complex beings do with ease. Human beings can perceive and understand complex issues hence the cognitive ability.
Christianity and other forms of postmodernism define God as the source of all knowledge. God reveals all knowledge to human beings causing them to have cognitive abilities (Fisher, 2012). Moreover, humans are spiritual beings, whose personalities enables them to make moral choices and perceive what exists. The Holy Spirit guides human reason and conscience, hence defining what is right and wrong for them. Moreover, a human’s cognitive abilities are affected by his or her experience which allows them to have knowledge and understanding of various issues. For pluralists, knowledge is acquired by channeling wisdom from a god who reveals the underlying truths about everything in the universe (Fisher, 2012).
How do we know what’s right and wrong?
Morality is considered as the measure between right and wrong. Human beings are moral beings whose morality is subjective and based off of various aspects. Different worldviews have different perceptions of morality. An issue that is described as true for one person may not necessarily be the truth for another. Thus, morality for one worldview is not necessarily the same for all worldviews. Morality governs ethics, which is the basis of human conduct. Naturalists differentiate what is right from what is wrong by relying on the majority opinion and individual conscience (Fisher, 2012). The majority opinion, also defined as a democracy, forms moral standards. Therefore, whatever the majority views as good passes as moral. The voice of the majority serves as a moral compass in which the society depends. Moreover, individual conscience is also used to measure what is right and wrong. A person’s beliefs also influence his or her morality (Fisher, 2012). Personal beliefs may differ from the majority opinion, hence causing discord between views on morality. Thus, virtue and ethics are subjective.
Morality in postmodernism is developed from the character of God that is evident in the Bible (Fisher, 2012). The nature of God, which is revealed in various events as recorded in the Bible describe what is right and what is wrong. Moreover, there are commandments given by God that govern morality. God’s nature as just and merciful also allows human beings to develop the same characters, which in turn will enable them to differentiate what is right and what is wrong.
Pluralists are guided by inner impulses to define morality (Fisher, 2012). There is no particular definition of what is right and wrong. A person behaves according to their inclinations, seeing as there is no good because of the interrelationship of the mind, the body, god and all.
What is the meaning of human history?
Human history is the process by which human beings came into existence. The different worldviews have different definitions of human history. Naturalism believes human history has no purpose and is affected by human control (Fisher, 2012). Human experiences influence rational choices which affect human history. These experiences are also shaped by external forces which lead to the self-actualization that leads to the development of laws and societies governed by these laws. Self-realization is achieved through scientific inventions and evolution hence human history.
Postmodernism believes human history to be a sequence of meaningful events that were guided by God (Fisher, 2012). These events were influenced by rational decisions which lead to the fulfillment of God’s overall plan. Human history is, therefore, a result of various consequences that resulted from decisions made and divine guidelines from God. As a result, people exist to fulfill their role on earth as ordained by God.
Pluralists define human history as cyclical processes that are more of an illusion (Fisher, 2012). These illusions are as a result of the coexistence of the mind, the body, god and all the aspects that define human existence. Human history, therefore, exists in many processes that occur frequently.
What are personal, life-orienting core commitments consistent with each worldview?
The worldviews differ in various ways. However, there exist commitments that are consistent with all worldviews. These commitments are desire and love (Sire, 2015). Passion and love are defined as the things a person loves and the hopes of what he or she aims to be in the future. Both postmodernism and naturalism have desire and love as common commitments. For Christianity, the people’s main ambition is to love in God’s way and fulfill His will on earth (Sire, 2015). Human beings based on Christianity are guided by these desires which inform their choices, personalities, attitudes, and behavior. Having a desire to live for something and a drive allows one to live a meaningful life that has a purpose.
Naturalists are driven by the desire to realize their full potential while experiencing life (Sire, 2015). The love for life and the people around serves as a driving force for these people. Moreover, their desire to fulfill the goals they set for themselves drives them towards achieving more significant things. Setting goals allow people to live to their full potential while going through various experiences that complete life. Fulfilling one’s potential also improves self-satisfaction and in turn self-fulfillment, which allows one to have the best experience out of life.
In conclusion, worldviews are different truths and assumptions that form the basis of living for human beings. People have varying worldviews that provide principles in which they live by for their whole lives. Identifying one’s worldview requires answering eight crucial questions, including the meaning of prime reality, the nature of external reality, the definition of a human being, and the events after death. Moreover, issues of cognition and morality also determine a person’s worldview as well as the meaning of human history. The varying worldviews have core commitments that are consistent. They include desire and love which for Christians is the desire to fulfill God’s will and for naturalists; the desire to love to one’s full potential.
References
Bell, D. (2016). The Power of Worldview by Dorothy Bell | Theosophy New Zealand. Retrieved from https://theosophy.nz/news-resources/the-power-of-worldview-by-dorothy-bell
Fisher, B. (2012). Exploring Worldviews: A Framework. TEACH Journal Of Christian Education , 6 (1).
Nath, S. (2014). The Concept of Reality from Postmodern Perspectives. Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research, 3(5).
Sire, J. (2015). Naming the Elephant Worldview as a Concept . InterVarsity Press.
Van Huyssteen, J., & Wiebe, E. (2011). In search of self . Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.
