When you hear the term worldview what things come to mind? For some individuals, it is human nature and its origins. Others might think of the relationships between cause and effect; while others may think of the relationship between good and evil and where these values come from. The truth of the matter is that everyone has a worldview and it is through each person’s specific worldview that the big questions find their answers. But just what is a worldview and how can we know if a particular worldview is true? The following article will attempt to lay out a practical definition of what a worldview is and will explain the importance of having a worldview. Following this discussion, a few examples of different worldviews will be addressed. Finally, we will discuss the importance of assessing our worldview in terms of truth.
A Definition
So, what is a worldview? One could make the case that a worldview is simply how one sees the world. However, I do not think this rather simple definition does the term justice because one can argue that it is a little more nuanced than this. In their book, The Love of Wisdom Steven B. Cowan and James S. Spiegle describe worldview as a “set of beliefs, values, and presuppositions concerning life’s most fundamental issues.”[1] One way to think about these beliefs, values, and presuppositions is that they are likened to being a framework by which an individual uses to interpret reality. A person’s worldview very much has an enormous impact on how they view the world and everything that is contained therein. It is important to realize that everyone in existence has a worldview and uses that worldview. In addressing what a worldview is, it is important to understand the things that a worldview seeks to answer. In his seminal work, Worldviews in Conflict, Robert Nash presents five specific categories that encompass a worldview and explains how each correlates to a particular area of Philosophy.
God
When we look at a variety of worldviews, we find that many of them hold unique views and perspectives concerning God. “Some worldviews, such as Christian theism, affirm the existence of a Creator who is eternal, immutable, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent.”[2] More so Christians affirm that God in his nature is distinct from his creation and is active in the history and lives of his creation. Other theists (those who believe in God) hold to the view that while God exists, he is in no way personal and could care less about his creation. In some ways, it is like a watchmaker who winds a clock and then proceeds to let the watch run unattended. In many Eastern religions like Hinduism, the followers hold to the idea that there are multiple gods which is the idea behind polytheism. Finally, there are those who hold to no belief in a god or gods; whom we call atheists.
Reality
Everyone has some basic belief concerning the nature of reality. In fact, a worldview would not be what it is without this very important concept. Some atheists for example will hold to the idea of materialism. Simply put, materialism is the philosophical idea that all that exists is the physical world. Thus, the idea of a soul or mind is non-existent because these are not tangible and material objects. Conversely, Christians among other theists will hold to the notion of dualism. This is the idea that both soul and body exist.[3] Pantheistic religions such as Hinduism will hold to the idea that the physical world as empirically observed by the five senses is simply an illusion; an idea known as Maya.
Knowledge
Much like the preceding areas, different worldviews have their own understanding of how knowledge is obtained. For philosophers, this subset of philosophy is often referred to as epistemology. Christians and other theists assert that God has created humanity with the capacity to understand the created order and even more so, have a personal and unique relationship with Him. Atheists, agnostics, and skeptics holding to naturalism often side with the idea that knowledge can only be obtained with empirical observation and the scientific method. Relating to this many atheists and agnostics hold to an unwavering scientism which is the idea that only what can be scientifically verified can be known. It is important to understand that this particular view held among atheists and skeptics stems from a deep-rooted materialism, that is the idea that only the physical world actually exists.
Human Beings
The question of what it means to be human permeates each and every worldview. Different worldviews address this particular subject in a variety of ways. Many atheists associate themselves with a physicalist perspective in that they see humanity as the product of evolution and that when an individual passes away they simply cease to exist. Christians on the other hand believe that God created humanity and that humanity was bestowed with both dignity and purpose. As I have mentioned in a previous paragraph, most Christians are also dualists in which they hold to the idea that both the physical body and immaterial soul exist allowing for the possibility of life after death.[4]
Values
When we discuss values as they pertain to worldviews, we refer to those elements that guide our thoughts and actions. One’s values can be social or political in nature. That is to say that our values can definitely have an influence on how we view social and political issues. One of the most important values evident in every worldview is the value of ethics. Those values that are associated with ethics motivate what we ought to do and should not do. Those holding to an atheistic worldview often hold to the idea of moral relativism. This is the idea that what is right and wrong is a matter of subjective and cultural preference. Under moral relativism, nothing can be condoned or condemned. Christian theists hold to the idea that God is the paradigm of ultimate goodness because it is something that is rooted and grounded in his very nature. Christians believe that God himself created all of humanity to reflect his goodness and thus anything that goes against his character is inherently wrong. As Cowan and Speigle have argued concerning value and how it relates to God, “This implies a kind of moral objectivism, the view that moral values transcend human beings and require universal adherence.”[5]
Why have a worldview?
At this juncture you are probably thinking ok so we have different ideas about various things like God and Values but why should we think about these beliefs and ideas in the framework of a worldview? Having a succinct worldview allows us to weigh our beliefs and ideas against the backdrop of reality and allows us to think conceptually about the world in which we live. In the marketplace of ideas what we believe about the world and reality matter because ideas have consequences. Our worldviews should be grounded in truth and we should be willing to abandon those ideas and beliefs that are not grounded in truth or are inconsistent in nature. Take for example the idea of values as it pertains to morality. As I had previously mentioned some hold to the idea that what is considered right and wrong are simply a matter of preference like flavors of ice cream. But if morality is really subjective, can we really live in a world like this? Think about it for a second. If there is a grounding or objective standard for morality then we really cannot comment on such events as the holocaust or praise the efforts of individuals like Mother Theresa. We also could never measure the moral progress of a city because of the fact that there would be no absolute with respect to what is right and wrong. Thus, because of the inconsistency and unlivable nature of moral relativism, it should be abandoned in favor of other possible alternatives. This small but relevant thought experiment is something that is so crucial when it comes to the notion of a worldview and it is something that we as thinking individuals need to be doing when it comes to beliefs and ideas that we are exposed to.
How to know if a worldview is true?
In the previous section, I discussed some reasons for having a worldview. One may be thinking how can I test and know that my worldview is true? This is an important question and it is one that is vital within the current culture of today. Everyone, no matter what beliefs they hold has a worldview. Some might not have a thorough understanding of how their beliefs or lack of beliefs shape their worldview. Others might have never taken the time to understand reality in this way. Rest assured that at some point an individual’s worldview is going to be challenged. Once this has taken place what then? It is important for us to be able to address certain objections that we encounter when it comes to holding a particular worldview. More so it is even more important that if shown to be false we have the humility to abandon those particular aspects of our worldviews in lieu of other alternatives despite how much we might want to hang on to those certain beliefs and worldviews. One way to ascertain if a particular worldview or belief system is true is to simply pose the question, “Does this held belief or worldview correspond with reality?” In other words, do my beliefs best explain how things work within reality? This way of thinking about truth has been aptly called the Correspondence Theory of Truth.
Conclusion
In our quest for knowledge and truth, we must always be ready to follow truth wherever it might lead. Socrates stated, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Having gotten to the end of this article let me encourage you to take a look and carefully examine those deeply held convictions concerning the world and the nature of reality. Doing so can help with understanding why we believe what we do and better see our worldviews with more clarity and how some aspects can hold up to the toughest of objections. If you are doubting your worldview let me encourage you likewise to possibly rethink other perspectives that you might have rejected in the past or not thought of. The most important thing after all is that we be committed to truth.
[1] Steven B. Cowan and James S. Spiegel, The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2009), 7.
[2] Ibid.
[3] For more information on evidence for the soul I would strongly recommend J.P. Moreland who has done extensive research in this particular area of metaphysics.
[4] For more information on Near Death Experiences and their study please refer to the following…
University of Virginia, n.d. “Division of Perceptual Studies.” Accessed October 17, 2023. https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/our-research/near-death-experiences-ndes/
[5] Steven B. Cowan and James S. Spiegel, The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2009), 9.
