Bible 11 12 April 2022 My Worldview Essay Ever since I was young, I’ve had a very mixed outlook on the world. Though my views have been influenced by both religion and science, the latter has recently had a greater influence on the lens through which I view the world. However, my upbringing has comprised primarily of Hindu cultural and religious beliefs, ranging from filial piety, reincarnation, a basic belief in polytheism, and prayer. Such early exposure to both sides of the ways to view life - theologically and scientifically - has modeled and shaped the mindset that has led to my worldview today. I believe that the processes of the world, however complex and seemingly coincidental, all have a scientific explanation and basis behind them. While I do share the belief with theologists that there is a reason behind everything, I do not believe that the reason lies in the hands of a powerful, supernatural being, as many theologists and religions say they do. If anything, I believe the ‘God’ of all things is time as it is all-powerful and everything in the universe is merely a facet of its inevitable progression and passing. Theories of human nature offer systematic and comprehensive accounts of human beings’ most significant distinguishing characteristics. According to Encyclopedia.com, such accounts are essential for the human understanding of the meaning of life and for his or her purpose on Earth. I believe human nature is a set of predetermined characteristics that define the different ways in which humans act, behave, and respond to things. Mentioned in the debate between nature and nurture, human nature is the set of inherent guidelines that humans inherit from their parents and from the random genetic sequences that make up the person. Though humans are subject to their own belief systems, I believe that the human person is entirely material. I also believe that the parameters that define humans and their behavioral characteristics are limited to any explanations offered by science, be it in the release of hormones in the body or the random alignment of genetic sequences and nucleotides. As mentioned earlier, these characteristics determine human behavior and can often dictate the motivation or the drive behind human beings. While society plays an integral role in the motivation for human success, built-in characteristics are one of the key factors that drive human beings. We can classify human drive into two sections: natural and societal. According to PositivePsychology.com, the natural drive includes “food, water, shelter, and reproduction,” while societal drive includes “approval, acceptance, and fame.” Such a drive to be a human being also influences the rules that govern what a ‘good’ human being is. A ‘good’ human being is someone who abides by the rules and laws of society and treats everyone equally with respect. These genetic characteristics and the basic human nature of a person often influence whether or not they are ‘good’ human beings, however, the style of one’s upbringing and the nurturement they receive in the early stages of their lives really determines the trajectory of how moral or ‘good’ someone is. This is because societal values often reflect basic human moral values. For example, if someone is brought up in a household where societal values are completely disregarded and disrespected, then the person would not be ‘good,’ moral, or righteous, at least by society’s standards. With the discussion of morality and the factors that determine basic human characteristics, it is imperative that we discuss the role of society, my views on it, and how it ties in with the human being. Communities, in order to prosper, need a strong relationship between those who govern the people, and the people. For example, while a system of democracy encourages equality and representation of the people’s beliefs through the election of leaders, there is often a split between two different parties. However, with a more cohesive and interconnected system of government, there would be no political disunity. While this is an ideal society with an ideal mindset that ignores corruption and the desire and hunger for power, it is important to recognize that a society in which the people want the best for the people and the government wants what is best for the people as well will prosper. Within this society, I think that humans should interact with each other freely and peacefully for it to prosper. Each human should have the others’ and their own best interests in mind. Furthermore, I think that collectively societies will develop a moral compass because the purpose of government and law is to guide the citizens of society to make the correct decisions that benefit society as a whole. My views on a ‘good’ society are reflected by Compass as they mention that “a good society is what we strive for and we aim to build it around core values: equality, democracy, and sustainability. Rather than being a specific vision, or end point, the good society is a framework that enables us to evaluate political ideas and actions against our core values.” My overarching belief in the role of society and its meaning is that it is a cornerstone that shapes human life, a human's morals, and ultimately determines the progression of humanity. I believe society is an integral part of human life and plays a pivotal role in shaping the human mind, and without society, humans would not have seen so much technological advancement over time. Similarly, Marxists believe that “the key to the mysteries of human nature is to be found in society. Society is the human being in his social relations, and every human being is an individual embodiment of social relations, a product not only of the existing social system but of all world history. He absorbs what has been accumulated by the centuries and passed on through traditions. Modern man carries within himself all the ages of history and all his own individual ages as well. His personality is a concentration of various strata of culture. He is influenced not only by modern mass media, but also by the writings of all times and every nation. He is the living memory of history, the focus of all the wealth of knowledge, abilities, skills, and wisdom that have been amassed through the ages.” I believe that everything in this world follows a structured hierarchy that has happened to form over the course of the billions of years since the Big Bang event. From the creation of the Earth till now, one thing has lasted: nature. I believe that nature is the foundation of any sustainable life on Earth, be it human or animal, and is arguably the most important entity on the planet. As correctly said by WWF.org.uk, “our forests, rivers, oceans, and soils provide us with the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we irrigate our crops with. We also rely on [nature] for numerous other goods and services we depend on for our health, happiness, and prosperity.” Nature, like society, functions as one of the cornerstones of human life. In the absence of nature, we would not exist. In the absence of nature, Earth would not have the ability to support or sustain life. Given my strong beliefs in the importance and reverence of nature, I feel sad to look at the ways in which nature is treated today. Deforestation rates are at an all-time high, along with the perpetual melting of glaciers and ice caps, the exponential increase in ocean landfills and waste, and the ceaseless production of greenhouse gases that damage the ozone layer. These problems are merely the tip of the iceberg. If humans are to continue destroying the Earth and the world like this, the chances of sustainable life on Earth 100 years from now are very slim. It infuriates me to see people litter and to see people completely disregard the beauty of nature. I believe humans should treat nature with respect because humans came from nature. I believe that humans should fit into the works of nature. It is imperative that humans should focus on being constructive instead of destructive so that both humans and nature can prosper simultaneously. It is also important that people should treat plants and animals with respect and as a means to an end. I also believe the laws of nature are governed by the core principles of science. The purpose of science is to gauge a better understanding of the world, nature, and cosmos in order to advance society for the betterment of all humans. Such a belief is reflected by mathematician Alfred North Whitehead in 1919 when he said, “the aim of science is to seek the simplest explanations of complex facts. We are apt to fall into the error of thinking that the facts are simple because simplicity is the goal of our quest. The guiding motto in the life of every natural philosopher should be, seek simplicity and distrust it.” The aim of science is to seek explanations to answer the most unanswerable questions so that humans can ultimately benefit and make the world, society, and humanity a better place. As a result of my strong belief in science and the scientific processes, I tend to place my beliefs primarily in science. While I personally do this, I am not opposed to the notion that theology and science have overlapping areas and I do believe that one’s can beliefs can dabble in both areas of study. However, as previously stated, I believe firmly in science. As a result, I do not believe in any sort of supernatural being. However, from my childhood beliefs, I can speak on the matter of the supernatural. As a Hindu by culture, I believed that the supernatural existed in a polytheistic form, where one divine being is represented by many. According to BBC.co.uk, “scientists don’t try to prove or disprove God’s existence because they know there isn’t an experement that can ever detect God.” However, if God exists, Hindu’s tend to have a very close relationship with the many gods through prayer, rituals, and other religious practices. As I mentioned earlier, I believe in the system of hierarchy. If God were to exist, then I believe they would exist above the nature and the cosmos and would govern the natural processes of life. However, speaking from a non-Hindu perspective and purely a scientific standpoint, I do not believe in the supernatural. Furthermore, with correspondence to nature, I believe in the Big Bang and the Theory of Evolution, and the reliance and belief in such theories provides me with the answers that ultimately disprove the existence of any supernatural intervention. In my perspective, Charles Darwin’s proposition of the Theory of Evolution, where, in his book, Darwin “desribes how organisms evolve over generations through the inheritance of physical or behavioral traits. The theory starts with the premise that within a population, there is a variation in traits, such a beak shape in one of the Galapagos finches Darwin studied” (LiveScience). I believe that Charles Darwin’s theories and set of beliefs ultimately disprove the existence of any God because it strongly refutes many creationist beliefs spread across many religions, ranging from Christianity to Hinduism. My worldview, though very pointed and scientific, has been shaped as a result of my experiences and exposures to different belief systems over time. While I do firmly believe in theories that disprove the existence of God, I believe there is still room for further questioning. I do recognize that none of the modern evidence presentsed is completely accurate or adequate and isn’t nearly sufficient to prove entire theories, so I am still open to the possibility of a shift in my worldview. However, I need there to be scientific proof and evidence for this shift to occur. Furthermore, while I’ve talked about science and religion as two very separate ideas in this essay, I do believe there is room for heavy interraction, overlap, and connection. A scientist can very well be a man of God, and vice versa. However, my beliefs do not lie in this area of overlap and, as of now, I choose to reside in the area of science and all that it proves. Works Cited “." Encyclopedia of Bioethics. . Encyclopedia.com. 28 Mar. 2022 https: www.encyclopedia.com.” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 13 Apr. 2022, https://www.encyclopedia.com/places/africa/cape-verde-political-geography/human-natur e. “Can Physics Prove IF God Exists?” BBC Future, BBC, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210301-how-physics-could-prove-god-exists#:~:te xt=Scientists%20don't%20try%20to,as%20being%20consistent%20with%20God. Doc, The. “Home.” Famous Scientists, https://www.famousscientists.org/what-is-science-quotes/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20 aim%20of%20science%20is,Seek%20simplicity%20and%20distrust%20it.%E2%80%9D . Man and Society, https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/spirkin/works/dialectical-materialism/ch05-s0 4.html. “Motivation and What Really Drives Human Behavior.” PositivePsychology.com, 13 Dec. 2021, https://positivepsychology.com/motivation-human-behavior/#:~:text=We%20are%20moti vated%20to%20seek,%2C%20%26%20Gollwitzer%2C%202009). says:, Christine Harris, and Gussy says: “Good Society.” Compass, 14 June 2013, https://www.compassonline.org.uk/ideas/good-society/#:~:text=A%20Good%20Society %20is%20what,actions%20against%20our%20core%20values. Than, Ker. “What Is Darwin's Theory of Evolution?” LiveScience, Purch, 30 Nov. 2021, https://www.livescience.com/474-controversy-evolution-works.html. “Valuing Nature.” WWF, https://www.wwf.org.uk/what-we-do/valuing-nature.
