What are they and how do they affect us?

At the end of this tutorial you should understand:  What does “worldview” mean?  How does someone’s worldview affect how they interpret the world around them.

Watch this short video that defines worldview, then answer the questions on the following slides.

According to the video, worldview can be compared to which of the following? a. The waves in the ocean that are always changing. b. A pair of eye-glasses that affects the way someone brings the world into focus. c. A set of facts on which everyone in the world generally agrees.

Someone’s worldview doesn’t change on a whim. Rather it is a belief system that remains relatively stable, just like someone’s prescription lenses remain relatively stable. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

There are many different worldviews. Worldviews are often the root cause of many of the largest conflicts or debates. The conflict we’ll talk about later today is the creation vs. evolution debate. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

Worldview is like a pair of eye-glasses through which you view the world. It affects actions, attitudes, and reactions to everything around you. Everyone has a worldview, whether they realize it or not.

a. Everyone has a worldview whether they realize it or not. b. Only “religious” people have a worldview. c. Only well-educated people have a worldview. d. Most people don’t have a worldview because it doesn’t really influence one’s behavior.

No matter how educated, religious, or aware of worldview someone is, everyone has a worldview. Our worldview affects our actions, attitudes, and reactions. Please go back to the question and try again. Go back

Even without knowing it, our worldview affects many aspects of our behavior. It determines how we interpret the world. For example, no matter the level of education, someone’s worldview will create bias in how he/she interprets science.

a. Only two. b. Ten. c. Too many to name.

There are many different worldviews. Too many to count. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

There are countless worldviews. Look at the questions on the next slide and think about how many different answers people could give to each one of those questions. This should give you an idea of how many different worldviews there are.

 What is the nature of reality?  Where did I come from?  What’s wrong with the world?  What’s the solution?  What’s my purpose of living?  How do I know things?  Is there a such thing as right and wrong? If so, what is it?

Remember there are countless worldviews, but sometimes when we discuss worldviews in an academic setting we like to use labels like “humanism” or “post-modernism” or “Nihilism” or “existentialism” and a host of others.

These are just names for sets of answers that often go together. In reality, individuals can fall anywhere on a spectrum of beliefs. Sometimes a person’s worldview can have some characteristics from a number of named belief systems (worldviews).

Individuals don’t usually fit into nice neat categories. But creating belief sets and naming them makes it easier to discuss how particular beliefs have affected history and culture.

To simplify our academic discussion, we are going to focus on only two belief sets (or worldviews): Naturalism and Christian Theism

Also, for the sake of simplicity, we will focus on only two questions that a worldview can answer: What is the nature of reality? and Where did I come from?

We’ll define each of these two worldviews, talk about how and why each one criticizes the other, and discuss one major debate between these two worldviews.

Watch the following video on naturalism. Remember to look for how a naturalist would answer these two questions:  What is the nature of reality?  Where did I come from?

Naturalism asserts that reality is: a. made up of matter and energy only. b. made up of the material world we can see and a spiritual world we can’t.

Naturalism denies the existence of anything spiritual. The only thing that exists is matter and energy. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

To a naturalist, reality only consists of matter and energy. There is nothing spiritual.

A naturalist would probably deny the existence of a. natural laws that govern the universe. b. forces of energy. c. God, the human soul, heaven, and hell.

Natural laws and forces of energy are part of observable reality. To a naturalist, observable reality is all there is. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

God, the human soul, heaven, and hell are all parts of a non-observable “spiritual realm” which a naturalist does not believe is part of reality.

How do you think a naturalist would answer the question “Where did I come from?” a. A God created me out of love and gave me a body and a soul. b. I am the result of chance events and am made up of only atoms.

Naturalism denies the existence of God. Therefore God cannot be responsible for the “creation” of any human. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

A naturalist does not believe in any “God” that guides events in human lives. Anything that is not explained by natural laws is credited to random chance, including ourselves.

Based on the way a naturalist views reality, how would they probably say the first cell originated? a. Chance occurrences allowed for more complicated structures over time and eventually life began. b. An intelligent being created the complex machinery inside the cell and life began.

A naturalist defines reality as only matter and energy. Spiritual intelligent beings aren’t part of “reality,” so any creator “God” cannot be used to explain the world, no matter how complex it is. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

No matter how complex we now know life to be, a naturalist cannot use any intelligence to explain the origin of life—this would be asserting that some sort of creator “God” existed before the origin of the first cell. A naturalist must come up with other solutions for the complexity of life. Using evolution to explain the origin of life is now the standard.

What is the dominant worldview in Western culture today? a. Naturalism b. Christian Theism

Although there are many professing Christians in Western Culture, Naturalism is the dominant worldview. This dominant worldview affects the media, education, government, and many aspects of our culture. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

Naturalism is the dominant worldview in Western culture. Naturalist views can be seen in the media, education, and cultural “ideals.”

Now let’s move on to Christian Theism. Remember to look for the way a Christian Theist would answer these questions:  What is the nature of reality?  Where did I come from?

How would a Christian describe reality? a. Reality is made up of matter and energy only. b. Reality is made up of a material world we can see and a spiritual world we cannot. Even though we cannot see the spiritual, it is just as “real” as observable matter.

Though Christians believe in the material, observable world, they also believe in a spiritual world as well. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

Christians believe in both a material and spiritual reality. This idea is called supernaturalism.

How do you think a Christian would answer the question “Where did I come from?” a. A God created me out of love and gave me a body and a soul. b. I am the result of chance events and am made up of only atoms.

Though Christians do believe we have a material body made up of atoms, they also believe there is another fundamental part of who we are and what makes us human. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

The answer to the question “Where did I come from?” has two parts that are fundamental to the Christian worldview: 1. A loving God is responsible for making each individual for a purpose. 2. Each individual has a material body that will die and a soul that will live for eternity.

Based on the way a Christian views reality, how would they probably say the first cell originated? a. Chance occurrences allowed for more complicated structures over time and eventually life began. b. An intelligent being created the complex machinery inside the cell and life began.

Christians believe that God has a hand in history and guides the events that happen within time and space. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

Christians believe that mind came before matter and that plan and design existed before creation. They believe that God created the first cell.

Now let’s take a look at the way each of these two worldviews criticizes the other.

Naturalists often criticize Christians by saying they are unscientific. Christians, on the other hand, criticize Naturalists by saying that science cannot prove Naturalism to be true and is as much a position of faith as Christianity is. Go to the next slides and watch the videos that demonstrate these points.

In this video, Richard Dawkins, a spokesperson for naturalism criticizes those who use God to explain the origin of life. He is very condescending toward those who hold the opposing view.

Now watch this video in which Dr. William Lane Craig explains that Naturalism is a position of faith, just like Christianity.

There are intelligent, reasonable people on both sides of the argument about the origin of life. However, since Naturalism is the dominant worldview in Western culture, it is often presented as the right view and other views are portrayed as wrong and illogical. Unfortunately, when teaching about the origin of life, it is never mentioned that the debate is more between worldviews than anything else.

Watch this video, then answer the questions on the following slides.

According to the video, what comes first, the worldview or the science? a. the worldview b. the science

Someone’s worldview is a fundamental part of who they are. It is someone’s starting point when they try to find answers about the world. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

Everyone has a worldview, and it is their beginning point when they try to answer questions about the world around them.

According to the video, what affects our interpretation of science? a. Our own worldview—the lens through which we interpret everything we see and interact with. b. The biases that we start out with. c. Both of the above.

Everyone has a worldview and everything is interpreted through it, as if we are all wearing a pair of eye-glasses. This creates bias in everyone, no matter what side of the argument they are on.

According to the video clip, what is the best step toward rational discussion? a. Calling everyone who doesn’t agree with you an idiot. b. Admitting we all bring biases with us when we discuss topics such as these. c. Refusing to educate yourself about the other side’s arguments.

No matter what side of the argument someone is on, it is always good to be educated about the other side. It creates a well-balanced education. Just because someone disagrees with you, does not mean that the other is an “idiot.” Thinking so shows lack of respect and poor education about worldview. Please go back to the question and try again. Go Back

Everyone has bias, no matter what side of the argument they are on. The key to rational discussion is recognizing your own bias and being educated about all sides of the debate.

Watch the following interview between Richard Dawkins and Ben Stein. They are two people who obviously have opposing worldviews. Notice how each of them has trouble understanding the worldview or “beginning point” of the other person.

Take some time for self-reflection. Look at the questions on the following slides. What would your individual answer be these questions. Think carefully about each one before moving on to the next slide.

 What is the nature of reality?

 Where did I come from?

 What’s wrong with the world?  What’s the solution?

 What’s my purpose of living?

 How do I know things?

 Is there a such thing as right and wrong? If so, what is it?

Your answers to these questions describe your own worldview. As we move into the next unit, remember what your answers were. Understand your biases, and as we discuss the issues coming up in class remember that not everyone shares your worldview. And often our disagreements are more about worldview than anything else. Our goal for this unit is rational discussion of both sides.

Works Cited Beginning Definition of worldview Definition of Naturalism Definition of Christian Theism Criticisms of each worldview Self reflection (What is my worldview?)

Craft, Logan, Walk Ruloff, John Sullivan (Producers), and Nathan Frankowski (Director) Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed [DVD]. United States: Rocky Mountain Pictures. Craig, William Lane. “Does Science Prove Atheism?” 08 Feb Online video clip. YouTube. Accessed on 25 Feb Dawkins, Richard. “Break the Science Barrier, Part 1 (1 of 2).” 07 Feb Online video clip. YouTube. Accessed on 25 Feb Schaeffer, Francis. “The Naturalistic, Materialistic, World View.” 4 Oct Online video clip. YouTube. Accessed on 25 Feb SummitMinistries. “Biblical Christian Worldview: Philosophy (3 of 12).” 11 Nov Online video clip. YouTube. Accessed on 25 Feb Sunshine, Glenn S. “What is a Worldview?” 21 Jan Online video clip. YouTube. Accessed on 25 Feb 2012.