Running head: WORLDVIEW
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Worldview
Brook Grzadzinski
Siena Heights University
History and Philosophy of Ideas
GRS 601
Dr. Patricia McDonald
September 28, 2012
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Worldview
The book Naming the Elephant was wrote by James W. Sire in
2004.
In the book Sire talks about redefining the worldview.
Sire (2004) describes the definition of worldview is as,
A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of
the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of
presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially
true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or
subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the
basic constitution of reality, and that provides the
foundation on which we live and move and have our being.
(p.
122).
The quote by Sire made me think how American healthcare
interprets pain.
As healthcare workers we are taught that pain
is the 5th vital sign.
It is what the person says it is and it
is not for us nurses to discern. Much like worldview it is the
perception of the individual.
Who’s to say they are not correct
in what they are feeling about pain or how they view the world.
I agree with what Sire is saying about worldview being,
“assumptions that could be true, partially true or it could be
false” (p. 122).
It’s all about the perception of the
individual and what they believe.
Their belief maybe influenced
by their ethnicity, location, culture, religion, age, family
history, etc.
I say etc. because influences can be really
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anything and not just limiting to what I referenced above.
Everything we come in contact with by sight, sound, smell, touch
or feel will or will not impact us.
I don’t see worldviews as
always being fixed, but they can be changing day to day or even
minute to minute depending on the influences to our body, mind,
and spirit.
I like the word influences because I believe this
is how we are made or come to be who we are.
We are a product
of our environment, our genes, and our society.
which one of us has the true worldview?
worldview exist?
Who’s to say
Does the “true”
Maybe not, maybe we are all right, like with
the pain perception.
What I view as my worldview is my own reality.
I may not
agree with others worldview definition but it doesn’t matter to
me what they believe.
I do find it hard to comprehend why
someone would be a suicide bomber by killing self and many
others.
They do this because they see this as their belief and
what they were born to do because in the afterlife they will get
the “virgins”.
Maybe this is true?
Who’s to say it isn’t?
are all following different paths due to our influences.
We
This
reminds me of another example I have seen. I remember seeing a
documentary on the history channel about a country that condoned
women being overweight.
The more weight the women carried the
more ideal and worthy they were.
These women would eat and eat
to gain as much weight as possible as this was the expectation
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to be able to get married and accepted into their society.
first glance this is craziness to me.
At
We know do to science
that being overweight is unhealthy and in American society it is
looked down upon, but in their reality this is right. Maybe it
is right?
Who’s to say?
What I perceive as “normal” is not
normal in other people’s perception.
worldview due to their influences.
It’s everyone’s own
What is unfortunate is that
humans can’t deal with other people’s beliefs and they feel they
have to do something about it.
For example, start a war.
Religion beliefs and political views has always been a hot topic
of controversy around the world.
Many individuals and groups
around the world have their own worldviews and they will fight
to the death because they believe their worldview is the right
one, the superior one.
So here is where it gets sticky.
The
American society does promote freedom to express individual
worldview thoughts and beliefs, to some extent.
When your
worldview brings harm to someone then the majority steps in and
takes action as your worldview is not acceptable.
The U.S.
government plays a role here as they are called to bring order
amongst us. Having order in our country is necessary so we can
protect and maintain what we always have known about the
“American citizen” worldview.
WORLDVIEW
So who has the “right” worldview?
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Do any of us?
I suppose
we will know when we are standing at the white pearly gates, or
will we?
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References
Sire, J. W. (2004). Naming the Elephant. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press.