Developing A Worldview

What is a worldview? On the word of Dr. Lew Weider & Dr. Ben Gutierrez (2013), "A worldview is the reflection of ones' heart; or internal existence, ones' mentality, feelings, and desires. The complete process that brings forth one's beliefs."

A worldview is not determined simply by a single factor, value, belief or view. It can be described as a collection of beliefs a person has about his or her life and the world around. This worldview can include aspects such as a consistent decision making process, an idea of what is right or wrong, and also who or what authority do I respect and follow. This view can modified constantly by factors including experiences that a person might face, a changing environment, and different values. There are many different types of worldviews and perspectives people have about the world that help to shape who

It is important to note that a worldview is not immediate as it developed over the course of one’s lifetime and passed on from generation to generation through factors such as tradition, beliefs, education, political orientation, mass media, and social interaction. When a child is born, they do not know what is moral or immoral, acceptable or unacceptable or have any attitudes and beliefs; they do not have a worldview. For the most of our lives, these worldviews develop in us over time, and we take them for granted, and so they just remain below the surface of our consciousness or awareness. Typically as human beings, we are partially conscious of the world views we have, and it is to mean that we are not fully aware of them. The development and comprehension of our worldviews are an evolution and a process, and for this reason, the world views evolve in a direct response to our collective cultural histories and individual and unique life experiences. Consequently, depending on the type of worldview we adopt in the

Everyone has a worldview, whether we know it or not. Worldview is the way a person makes sense of the world, life and reality. For example: I view the glass as half full, but you might view the glass as half empty. We both see the glass but we do not agree on how to view it. Our worldview is formed by our education, family beliefs, the culture we live in, and media we are exposed to. For many of us our surrounding culture influences our worldview and we have never had to think about why we believe what we believe and we wouldn’t be able to defend our beliefs to others.

Every human being has a worldview whether they are aware of it or not. Although the notion of a worldview might appear basic in nature, the word itself simply meaning how one views the world around them, worldviews are much more complex and far reaching. A worldviews development occurs over the course of a lifetime, shaped by the complex and unique experiences of an individual and the sum of family traditions, religious beliefs and cultural histories. It is an all-encompassing interpretation of reality that plays a central and defining role in our attitudes and concepts about life. While worldviews are formed based on the answers to fundamental questions about human existence, they simultaneously shape

2 Part I According to (Merriam-Webster, n.d.), worldview is defined as a comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world especially from a specific standpoint. This definition implies that the way an individual view the world may be due to a variety of factors such as their culture, ethnicity, and/or religion. For Christians, our worldview is shaped by the Holy Bible. Often, this book

Throughout this class we have discussed the different worldviews that an individual may have. This class has taught me that a worldview is how an individual understands the world and their place in it. “A worldview consist of what a person believes to be real and true, what a person values, how a person makes decisions, and what forms a person’s desires, longings, and goals” (Fuller, Lecture One). An individual’s worldview is the motivating force behind their every emotion, decision, and action. A worldview is what helps an individual make sense of life and this world. A worldview will provide answers for many different questions in life. A few of the questions that a worldview helps answer are questions of origin, human dilemma, hope, and destiny.

A worldview is easily described as the person’s perception of the world around them and is the framework for decision making. You can think of a worldview like a pair of glasses. When you look out of those glasses what do you see? Dr. Weider in his presentation gave an example; if your glasses are red then everything around you will be red. (Weider & Gotierrez, 2011) This is the same for worldview. Everyone has a worldview if they know it or not. It’s how we organize our thinking about life, death, art, science, faith, learning, work, money, values, and morals. (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p.50) Worldview is our underlying

What is a world view? A worldview is an individual’s view on life. It is the philosophy with which we live. It makes us who we are and is shaped by our experiences, culture, and background (Smith, 2015). A worldview is fluid, it changes as we change and discover our identities. It is made up of the questions that humans may ask to determine their wealth to the world or their purpose in life. Our worldview can make us gravitate toward other individuals with similar beliefs. It is a unifying factor in our day to day interactions with people and the world as a whole. It is the way that we determine what is “considered meaningful, what is worth doing, and which causes may require sacrifice”

Today’s society consists of many worldviews. Most people tend to pull beliefs from different religions, but often stick to one main worldview. A worldview to me is the gathering of beliefs that shape what we do on a daily basis and forms our overall view on life. When I look at my beliefs critically, I am able to see my worldview and see how it compares to different worldviews, but also how it compares mainly to the Christian Worldview.

“The meaning of the term worldview seems self-evident: an intellectual perspective on the world or universe. Indeed, the 1989 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary defines world-view as a "... contemplation of the world, [a] view of life ..." (Funk, 2001). The word contemplation can also mean inspection or observation. Many things go into a person’s worldview and everyone’s worldview will be slightly different. An individual worldview is comprised of the total of that individual (e.g. their history, religion, priorities, etc.).

What is a worldview? How does it influence our daily lives? A worldview is how we see reality. It influences the way we live our lives. It influences the way we interact with each other. A worldview is a belief system of who we are, why we are here, and what our destiny is.

A worldview is a mental model of reality. It is the idea and attitudes towards the world, life, and us as individuals. Each individual has their own unique worldview. People acquire a worldview by how they go through life, it may change or even stay the same. How they grew up, life situations, values, religion, and attitudes are factors that may affect one’s worldview. There are many questions that can make up one’s worldview. How should we act? What gives life purpose? Where did we come from? These are some of many questions that can help define someone’s worldview. The book The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson, brings up many worldviews. The characters in the book go on a journey to figure out their worldview. Which I think this is the best way to build someone’s worldview.

People view the world in a variety of different ways due to customs, thoughts, beliefs, and life styles. Each factor contributes to the development of one’s worldview, either formed individually or through a group. Some of these influencing factors include: language, culture, and religion.

My worldview is informed by way of epistemology. Epistemology suggest the source of all knowledge is God. Knowledge can be acquired through reading and studying the bible.